Egypt’s tourism minister on Friday discussed the recent resumption of tourist traffic in the country with a group of ambassadors from EU member states.

Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled El-Enany held a virtual meeting with 24 ambassadors to discuss the resumption of tourism between Egypt and the EU, after flights restarted on 1 July.

He reviewed the preventive measures undertaken by Egypt regarding overseas tourists, which seek to ensure the safety of both tourists and locals.
El-Enany said infection rates in South Sinai, Red Sea and Matrouh, the three Egyptian governorates which foreign tourists are currently allowed to travel to, are lower than in some EU countries.

During the meeting, the ambassadors reviewed a set of criteria required of visitors from non-EU countries who wish to enter the EU. The list is revised twice monthly.

Maged Mosleh, supervisor of the Central Administration for Public and International Relations at the tourism and antiquities ministry, said EU officials stressed that there were no current restrictions on travel by EU citizens to Egypt.

Sharm El-Sheikh airport received two flights from Ukraine on Friday carrying 377 tourists, a separate statement by the tourism ministry said.

A flight from Kiev carrying 187 tourists arrived first, followed by a flight carrying 190 tourists from Kharkiv.

Around 6,000 tourists have arrived at the two resorts since the beginning of July the statement said.

Sharm El-Sheikh has received 30 flights, from Ukraine and Belarus, while Hurghada has received 15 flights, from Ukraine, Belarus and Switzerland.