Egypt has unveiled a fresh new campaign to woo Arab tourists 'to rediscover the country’s rich heritage, lively entertainment, and vibrant destinations that inspired many memorable experiences since the dawn of time.'

The new Arab campaign, entitled “Egypt…the Beginning of the Tale,” was unveiled by Amr El Ezabi, chairman of  Egyptian Tourist Authority (ETA) on Monday at a press conference in Dubai in the presence of Mohab Nasr, Consul General of Egypt in Dubai and Northern emirates and other tourism industry representatives.

“A warm welcome awaits visitors in Egypt where, spirited people and a lively social and artistic agenda entertain them all year long, and a host of breathtaking destinations combining exquisite nature and luxurious resorts, tell thrilling stories of Egypt, the world’s most ancient civilizations,” remarked El Ezabi.

The ETA will launch a massive new campaign that will cover the GCC markets including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, as well as Jordan and Libya.

The integrated promotional campaign includes highly creative advertisements on television, press ads, outdoor placements, and an extensive online component.

Effectively, the ETA will re-launch its official Arabic website (arabic.egypt.travel) on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), El Ezabi said.

The revamped website will reflect the creativity of the campaign while providing an exciting insight into the various tourist destinations and products such as city breaks in Cairo and Alexandria, Northern Coast, luxury resorts in Sinai and the Red Sea, Nile cruises, Spa & Wellness tourism, shopping and Ramadan.

The new campaign aims to improve the image of Egypt through highlighting the diversity of the Egyptian tourism products and the quality of tourist services.

A key objective will also be to attract new segments of visitors throughout the year by focusing on new tourism categories such as health, five-star, and luxurious resorts on the Red Sea, Cairo by night, and the North Coast.

A tactical campaign will follow to introduce Arabs to the spirit of Egypt during the holy month of Ramadan,' he said. 'It is that spirit of Egypt that keeps bringing people back and back again to the country,' El Ezabi added.

In fact, a recent survey conducted by the Egyptian Tourist Authority unveiled that about 90 per cent of Arab travelers have visited Egypt at least once. The study came to reinforce the perception that Arabs have long had about Egypt; a vibrant country with fun-loving, friendly, and warm people, he pointed out.

Regarding the overall status of the Egyptian tourism sector, ETA chairman said: 'With over 3.46 million tourists entering the country from January to March end, a record 29 per cent increase, we have started to see positive signs of recovery.'

'During the first quarter of 2010, our tourism revenues increased 24 per cent to reach $2.7 billion. We are confident the rest of the year will only be better,' he added.
 
In addition to the new campaign, the ETA organizes regular road-shows and delegations to various Arab countries on annual basis and participates frequently in international exhibitions held across major Arab markets.
 
The authority works closely with key travel and tourism players to promote Egypt through various joint campaigns especially in Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, El Ezabi said.

An extensive media and public relations strategy has also been launched in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and UAE and includes a number of familiarization trips and sponsorship and participation in various events and activities throughout the year, he added.-TradeArabia News Service