Beltagui tells Finnish TV, tourism picks up speed very soon

Egyptian Minister of Tourism Mamdouh Al Beltagui said he is confident the tourist activity will regain its strength very soon because Egypt offers an exquisite, versatile and splendid product, warm hospitality and a secure climate to visitors.

Egypt as a tourist destination satisfies the Scandinavian people's interest in and admiration of the Egyptian civilization, he told the Finnish television Tuesday.

Beltagui spoke of the repercussions of the September 11 attacks on the US the terrorist problem and the ongoing violence in the Middle East on Egypt's tourist industry.

He said that although Scandinavian countries were major tourist exporters to Egypt, there has been a slight drop in the number of tourists in 2001, in comparison to the peak year of 2000.

The reason was a general fear of air travel, which he said is expected to subside in the near future. Gradually, tourism influx into Egypt will return to its normal rates, he added.