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THE Egyptian Government has said it will reopen all airports serving international flights starting July 1, after suspending general commercial flights since March to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak.
According to Public Aviation Minister Mohammed Manar Enabah, in a recent press conference, said the opening of the flight would be carried out in stages, while tourism for foreign tourists would be limited at tourist locations in three coastal provinces.
Enabah and Tourism Minister Khaled al-Anani, who was also present at the media gathering, explained the COVID-19 preventive measures on the plane, at the airport, and inside the hotel to ensure the health and safety of foreign travelers.
Both agreed to mention that travelers from countries with high cases of COVID-19 infection, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) assessment, must be tested first before visiting Egypt.
The pandemic has killed the Egyptian tourism industry which the government says accounts for five percent of the country’s economy, but according to analysts it could reach 15% if jobs and investments related to this industry are also included. In the midst of a pandemic situation, Egyptian domestic flights continue to operate, and starting June 1, hotels have also been permitted to start accommodating guests with 50% capacity.
The country with a population of around 100 million confirmed about 44,000 cases of COVID-19, accompanied by 1,500 deaths. As of Sunday, there were more than 1,600 new cases and 91 deaths. [antaranews/photo special]
