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Discover Egypt reassures trade it will survive pandemic

Discover Egypt has contacted travel agents to reassure them it is a financially strong company and will survive the coronavirus pandemic.

The tour operator sent an email to its agent partners, and posted a note on its website for consumers, as the government announced the lockdown would be extended by a further three weeks.

Director Philip Breckner said: “As the lockdown continues in the UK, we thought it timely to communicate with you and keep you up to date with events here at Discover Egypt UK and in Egypt.

“It is more than 20 years since David and I started Discover Egypt offering Nile cruises and classical trips in Egypt, Jordan and Israel. We have “battled” with terrorism, revolutions, 9/11, the ash cloud, and yet nothing challenged us to the extent of this current pandemic.”

He added: “Discover Egypt remains a strong, financially stable company and we will still be here long after the coronavirus has come and gone.

“I am sure that when this is all behind us, you will look to travel again and hope that you will also appreciate the efforts we are making to be here when you do.”

The operator had 72 holidaymakers who had just arrived in Egypt when the government announced on March 16 it was shutting its borders with two days’ notice. All were successfully repatriated, said Breckner, at the operator’s expense and with the assistance of Egypt Air, within 48 hours.

In his note, Breckner also made a point of stressing that the operator had ensured it worked within the law throughout the lockdown and continued to offer full cash refunds to any future holidaymakers not wishing to amend to a future date.

He said: “At the outset, we decided that where needed….we would cancel holidays, asking customers due to travel if they would like to transfer, at the same price, to an alternative holiday in 2020 or 2021, or if not, offering a full cash refund. This policy follows the law brought about by the European Package Travel Regulations 2018 and we continue to adhere to this.”

Its local staff and guides in Egypt are currently without work but continue to receive “all or part salary”, he added, and are “anxiously waiting for the return of tourism”.

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Harvard University are working together to offer virtual tours of the country’s archaeological sites antiquities to inspire future visitors to plan a trip to the destination, which the operator is promoting on its social media channels. All its cruises and holidays for 2021 remain on sale.

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