The first group of 190 Russian tourists arrived to Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh on Saturday after Russia had declared on Friday lifting the travel ban on Egypt.
Russia, which provides Egypt with the largest number of tourists annually, has lifted a travel ban on Egypt put in place at the outset of the revolution.
Russia’s ban was immensely significant for Egypt’s tourism industry. The number of Russian tourists visiting Egypt in 2010 alone was estimated to be 2,855,723, accounting for 25,037,045 tourist nights and making it the number one country in providing Egypt with tourists.
Yousry Gamaleldin, head of Egypt’s airport company, stressed the importance of Russian tourism to Egypt and estimated the inflow of tourists to Sharm El-Sheikh would go back to 50% within this month to how it was before the revolution.
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