Thrifty tourists pile into Egypt as travel costs dive amid currency depreciation

Zedenko Krabich, a 42-year-old tourist from Croatia, was on a trip to the Red Sea resort of Safaga in southeastern Egypt for medical purposes.

After finishing treatment for bone problems using the sand of Safaga, Krabich said he will head further south to Luxor and Aswan for further tours.

The Croatian tourist, like many others, chose Egypt because the most populous Arab country, boasting rich cultural and recreational sites, offers an excellent travel experience at a expense lower than other regional countries.

Egypt has witnessed a tourism boom since the beginning of this year and is expected to welcome the largest annual number of tourists in history by the year end.

According to Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa, the number of inbound tourists reached 1.3 million in April, hitting a monthly high, while the first quarter saw an increase of 43 percent in visitors number compared to the same period last year.

Issa predicted that by the end of this year, Egypt will receive close to 15 million tourists, a 28-percent increase year on year, which could dethrone the previous 2010 record of 14.7 million.

The boom is partly attributed to the devaluation of the Egyptian currency, which resulted in a reduction in travel costs for tourists, according to Mohamed Othman, head of the Cultural Tourism Committee at the Chamber of Tourism Companies in Luxor.

Jagdish, a cardiologist from the United States, decided to spend 20 days touring Egypt. He has visited multiple destinations, including the Valley of Kings and the temples of Karnak, Hatshepsut, Edfu and Kom Ombo, and Abu Simbel.