CAIRO: Egypt has announced that it will ensure that Ukrainian and Russian tourists remain on its territory until a “safe return” to their respective countries is guaranteed.
The ongoing political events between Russia and Ukraine have resulted in the closure of Ukraine’s airspace, making it impossible for Ukrainian tourists to return to their country.
During a meeting to discuss the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, officials from the Egyptian tourism sector emphasized that “tourists from countries where air traffic is disrupted will be allowed to stay in the hotels where they are staying in Egypt until they can safely return home.”
Assistant Minister of Tourism for the Affairs of Hotel Establishments, Shops and Tourist Activities Abdelfattah Al-Assi wrote in a letter to the Chamber of Hotel Establishments to “ensure the continued stay of Ukrainian and Russian tourists present in Egyptian hotels.”
The Chamber of Hotel Establishments in Egypt sent a message to the general managers of hotels in Sharm El-Sheikh, urging them to “kindly receive” Ukrainian tourists from the airport and “provide all the necessary assistance and support to them.”
The letter continued: “You will be informed of any new instructions that may be issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in this regard. Please consider this matter urgent and extremely important.”
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced earlier that it was “following with great concern the developments in connection with the situation in Ukraine.”
The ministry stressed the necessity of prioritizing diplomatic solutions to settle the crisis in a way that preserves international security and avoids escalation.
Egypt receives hundreds of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian tourists annually in its hotels overlooking the Red Sea.
