Egypt to attract 20 pct more tourists this year: Minister

Egypt will attract about 20 percent more visitors this year compared with 2014, the tourism minister said on Monday, as the holiday sector recovers after four years of political upheaval, violence and street protests.

About 2.15 million tourists visited the country in the first quarter, up 6.9 percent from a year ago, Khaled Ramy said. Advance bookings indicate the full-year total would be around 12 million, below 2010's peak of 14.7 million but above 2014's 9.9 million.

"In the next four-and-a-half years we have to increase by double-digit (percentages) every year," the minister said.

Egypt's tourism revenue reached a peak at $12.5 billion a year in 2010, but was less than half that in 2013 as turmoil in the run up to the army's toppling of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi deterred visitors.