Minister of Tourism, Zuhair Garranah, assured that Russia topped a list of countries that export tourism to Egypt in 2007, with a 52% raise compared to 2006.

This piece of information has been highlighted through Garranah’s meeting with the Russian Vice Foreign Minister, Andrea Denseif, in the Russian Foreign Ministry during Garranah’s visit to the tourist Intour market exhibit in Moscow. He also indicated that the Egyptian tourist section is fully aware of the Russian tourists’ needs and how to deal with them. He referred to the fact that the newest tourist studies have asserted that the Russian tourist is one of the most extravagant worldwide, and a recurrent visitor to Egypt. He added that the Ministry of Tourism always seeks to develop the Egyptian tourist product through developing the already available tourist items, such as diving tourism: there has been an agreement with the International Austrian Association for diving to work for applying the best systems in safety and the criteria of the international quality to safeguard the divers and protect the sea life. He reaffirmed that by the end of 2008, all the diving clubs will have to obtain the ISO certificate. He also warned that the centers that don’t obtain such certificates won’t get the working license from the Ministry of Tourism.

During the meeting, Denseif indicated that Egypt is one of the most important tourist destinations preferred by the Russian tourist, as the latter enjoys visiting Egypt for its warm weather and hospitality. Moreover, he praised the distinguished status which Egypt enjoys, especially relations with other countries politically and socially. On the other hand, Garranah inaugurated the Egyptian suite in the tourist Intour market exhibit, and he participated in the official inauguration ceremonies that were attended by Sirgy Narshkin, vice prime minister, and the one in charge of the external trade and tourism section, Bouris Physiopholodoviche Gronov, the ruler of Moscow, and Fladimeir Sterzacovesky, the head of the tourism federal body.

Sirgy Narshkin confirmed that Egypt occupies a unique status for the Russian tourist, and that the unprecedented numbers of the Russian tourists Egypt receives are a clear evidence for this testimony – given that Russia was the number one source market for Egypt in 2007, with arrivals exceeding 1.5 million. Concluding his words, Sirgy stressed the profound cooperation between Egypt and Russia.

In the presence of the Russian Vice-Prime Minister and the Egyptian ambassador to Russia, Ezzat Saad, Garranah and Felademeir Sterzacovesky signed an agreement for tourist cooperation between the two countries that targets setting a lawful frame for tourism cooperation between Egypt and Russia, particularly in the light of the huge increase of the Russian tourist numbers visiting Egypt.