Egypt will reopen nature reserves in two of its governorates – Red Sea and South Sinai – on Sunday 26 July, with the entrance fees reduced by half, the environment ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The statement said that the 50 percent discount will be applied for all individual trips and for daily sea cruises.

Minister of the Environment Yasmin Fouad said in the statement that the decision comes in light of the state's strategy to apply a package of incentives to restore tourism, which has suffered a blow due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Egypt resumed regular international flights on 1 July after more than three months of closure over the coronavirus pandemic. The country is looking to revive its vital tourism industry, a major source of foreign currency that has been hard hit by the pandemic shutdown.

The reopening of the nature reserves will take place under a number of precautions to ensure the safety of tourists and sector workers, Fouad said.

The ministry has recently issued guidelines for safari trips and sea cruises in both governorates regarding activities, interpersonal interaction, and waste handling rules to curb the spread of the virus and preserve the ecosystem, the statement said.

South Sinai protectorates: Ras Mohamed, Nabq, Abu Galum, Taba, and Saint Catherine.

Red Sea protectorates:  Northern Islands, Wadi El-Gemal, Elba, and Remote Islands.