The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) has announced a 41 percent decline in the total number of foreign tourists during September 2016, compared with the previous year.
The number of foreign visitors to Egypt in September this year stood at 473,000 tourists, compared to 802,000 tourists during September 2015.
The figures reflect a terrible year for Egypt's tourism industry, with tourists staying away after a series of airline related incidents and the suspension of flights from several nations.
The most important countries affecting the rate of decline were Russia, by 64.5 percent, followed by the United Kingdom, by 18.1 percent, Germany by 13.1 percent, and Italy by 3.6 percent.
In its monthly bulletin on tourism statistics for September, CAPMAS added that visitors from other Middle East nations represented the largest regional category, at 34.6 percent. Saudi Arabia ranked first among these, with 29.6 percent of Egypt's total visitor numbers.
The Middle East was followed by western Europe, with 31.7 percent.
A total of 192,600 visitors arrived from Arab nations during September this year, compared to 163,600 during September 2015, an increase of 17.7 percent.
The statistics for September reflect a terrible year for Egypt's tourism industry since the crash of a Russian passenger plane over the Sinai on October 31, 2015. The crash led to a halt of tourist flights from Russia, the United Kingdom and several other nations, with a massive drop in tourism revenue.
The incident was followed in early 2016 by two incidents involving EgyptAir flights, one a deadly crash in the Mediterranean, and the other a hijacking that resulted in no casualties.
Egypt has been working with international partners, including Russia, to improve its airport security measures, a condition for the full return for foreign tourist flights.
The Tourism Ministry also recently launched a three-month tourism marketing campaign aimed at attracting tourists from 12 European nations, with Italy high on the list.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
