Egypt offers airlines incentives to kick-start tourism

Egypt is offering airlines incentives to resume services to the country in a bid to stimulate demand and stop carriers from cutting capacity (Dow Jones Newswires, 31-Mar-2011). easyJet and TUI Travel confirmed they had received incentives in the form of reduced airport and passenger charges, worth about USD5 per passenger. The offer commenced in Mar-2011 and is open-ended, which could reportedly cost the Egyptian government some USD100 million by 2012. 15 million tourists visited Egypt in 2010 and the industry is a major export earner.