03 أبريل, 2010
DIVING IN EGYPT
Water Paradise
Contrary to what everyone thinks, this is not
cultural tourism which is the most profitable for Egypt, the opposite is
scuba diving, which is the goose that laid the golden egg. According to
the latest statistics from the Ministry of Tourism, the income from
diving tourism as well as water sports has exceeded $ 3.5 billion out of
a total of $ 9 billion, which means one third of tourist income. "It's
not too much, if one takes into account that 60% of tourists who visit
Egypt come specifically for enjoying the Red Sea. And more than 80% are
diving with all activities that are related, as the snorkling, sea
safari and skiing, "says Hilal Karim, president of the Chamber of
diving, which was newly created under the aegis of the Union of Chambers
of Tourism. According to figures from the ministry, more than three
million tourists come to the Red Sea, known as "the paradise for
divers." This number is expected to double, especially after the choice
of Sharm Al-Sheikh as the best diving destination in the world by the
United Nations World Travel Awards, considered the Oscar of the tourism
industry internationally.
Although this international award is
given this year to Sharm Al-Sheikh, this does not deny that the number
of tourists who go diving in Egypt is still considered low compared with
other countries, like the Australian coast or islands Maldives for
instance, and many other beach resorts.
This shortage is in fact
due to the various problems facing those miles and some diving centers
across the country, of which 300 are found only at Sharm Al-Sheikh.
This
award has been very well invested in the exhibition dive, which was
held last month in Dusseldorf, Germany. "This is the first time that the
diving industry in Egypt is represented in the largest exhibition
specializing in diving tourism to the world. This will be very fruitful
for the whole sector, "says Hilal Karim.