More than one million British tourists visited Egypt in 2006, 23% up on the previous year, according to the Egyptian Tourism Authority.
UK visitors now make up the largest holiday market to Egypt with 1,033,761 visitors. The number of nights stayed by British tourists has also increased by 21% to 9,105,599.
In recent years Egypt has backed the development of the Red Sea Riviera with a massive investment programme. The improved UK visitor numbers have been achieved despite eight Britons being among around 70 people killed by a bombing in Sharm el-Sheikh last July.
Last year the Egyptian Tourist Minister Zoheir Garranah set the country a target of attracting 16 million visitors from around the world each year by 2014.
In the Autumn 2006, the Egyptian Tourist Authority unveiled a multi-million investment in a worldwide TV advertising campaign titled “The Gift of the Sun” designed to appeal to a consumer audience.