The return of Russian tourism to Egyptian cities will also result in the much-awaited return of skilled and trained workers to the tourism sector, regaining Egypt’s tourism classification as one of the best destinations for tourists around the world.
The Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia has issued permits to eight of its airlines namely Papeda, Aeroflot, Racia, Smartavia, S7, Ural Airlines, Azur Air, and Nordwind.
Each city in Egypt will receive five Russian flights in a single week. The Russian Center for Combating the Coronavirus announced that the return of Russian tourism to resorts in Hurghada would commence from August 9, 2021. The center said that trips to Egypt would increase in Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh in South Sinai.
The average number of tourists from Russia visiting Egypt before 2015 was roughly 2.5 million annually. However, Russian flights were stopped in 2015 when the tragedy occurred, and a Russian plane crashed on the beaches of Sharm El-Sheikh. On the fateful day of Oct 31, 2015, the Russian Metrojet Flight 9268 crashed after takeoff from Sharm el-Sheikh resort in Egypt to its destination, St. Petersburg. All 224 people on board this flight died. International investigators established that the flight was blown apart by a bomb. Egypt denied any foul play and continues to claim that it was not a terror attack.
Egypt was ecstatic after Russia decided to lift the ban on charter flights to Egypt from July 8 onwards. The number of Russian tourists visiting Egypt is estimated to exceed over 2 million. Egypt is likely to gain more than $4 billion in annual revenues.
The return of tourists from Russia will be gradual. However, the traffic of Russian tourists might increase during November and December. Almost all hotel facilities in the South Sinai region and the Red Sea region are fully prepared to receive Russian tourists.
The influx of Russian tourists coming to Egypt is vital and should continue throughout the year. Russian tourists usually travel in large numbers, which will revive hotel occupancy in coastal tourist cities like Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada.