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FCO lifts Cairo travel advice

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has lifted its advice against travel to Cairo.

A statement on the FCO website said it was no longer advising against all but essential travel to Cairo Governate and Greater Cairo. The Cairo Governate includes the pyramids at Giza.

The lifting of the advisory comes two weeks after the FCO partially relaxed its stance on travel to the country in a move welcomed by specialist operators.

The popular Red Sea resorts have remained outside the travel advisory throughout the period of unrest.

Destination specialist operator Discover Egypt welcomed the latest move from the FCO which comes after the country’s tourism minister Hisham Zaazou told Travel Weekly during WTM that he was confident the UK government would relax restrictions.

Philip Breckner, Discover Egypt commercial director, said: “There has never been a better time to travel to Egypt to enjoy what this diverse and culturally rich counyry has to offer in terms of history, archaeaology and perfect winter sun weather.

“It will take time to rebuild consumer confidence and yet we’ve already finalised travel arrangements for those who had been impatiently waiting for the FCO advice to be lifted.
“We are supported by a great team in resort and the Egyptian Tourist Office here in UK and the Ministry of Tourism in Egypt.

“With good co-operartion we can ensure that the positive messages are distributed and that travellers can return to enjoy Egypt, especially classical Egypt.”

Discover Egypt has had a meeting with Tarek Saaad El din, the new Governor of Luxor, who outlined some immediate intiatives.

These included promoting Luxor by emphasising its diversity, improvement to the sewege system and pavements, installing 150 additional security cameras, introducing private docking stations for cruises and twinning Luxor with other towns

Overseas residents in Luxor have formed a Committee to push for infrustructure improvements to help those people from abroad living in Luxor.

An economic forum has also been established to look at development for all of Upper Egypt and Investment Banks to consider development projects to improve the tourist infrustructure in the area.

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