Tourists to Egypt rise 15.8% in July as travel bans lifted

The number of tourists visiting Egypt in July increased 15.8 percent compared to the same period a year earlier, according to the tourism ministry, state statistical agency CAPMAS reported on Wednesday.

A total of 885,765 foreign tourists spent 6.6 million nights in Egypt during July, compared to 765,108 spending almost 7 million nights a year ago.

In July, several European countries announced the removal of travel bans imposed on Egypt in February, when a bomb blast on a tour bus in South Sinai killed three South Koreans and their Egyptian driver and raised concerns about safety in Red Sea resorts.

During this period, almost 70 percent of tourists visiting Egypt came from eastern and western Europe.

July also saw the election of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, with almost 97 percent of all votes, on the promise of achieving economic prosperity and political stability.