According to several estimates provided by The Travel Association, ABTA, about 3 million British people are said to be travelling abroad during the Christmas season from 17th December to 3rd January. Following the heavy snow that Europe has experienced, the ski season is said to have started early this year.

Over the coming weeks, Geneva is expected to be one of the many famous gateways that will be luring winter sports enthusiasts. Other cities like New York, Paris, Dublin and Amsterdam are also among the popular places to travel to during the festive season.

However, the ABTA did reveal that a majority of people are being motivated by the winter sun. This has led to hotspots like the Caribbean, Egypt and Tenerife to become the top-most holiday destinations this Christmas. Chief executive of ABTA, Mark Tanzer said that holidays, particularly during this time of the year, can offer people happy lifelong memories. It also gives people the chance to spend quality time with friends and family.

He added that even as passengers booked to fly with British Airways are relieved that they can enjoy their long planned holidays, the Association feels sympathetic to those affected by Globespan collapsing. Over the Christmas period, it is estimated that the busiest UK gateway will be Heathrow Airport with about 1.5 million people who will be using the hub.

Nowadays, a massive number of tourists are booking holiday packages for Egypt. This has ultimately helped in boosting the figures of the tourism industry in the Middle East country, according to the Egypt’s tourism minister, Zoheir Garranah.

He also explained that Egypt was one of the first countries to take action, once the economic downturn emerged.

He further stated that this is shown because they have been offering lower packages with the tour operators. In addition to this, they also started marketing campaigns to promote tourism in Egypt. They will work harder to maintain their market share in future too.

The tourism minister, Zoheir Garranah, also said that more tourists from Britain were booking flights to Egypt and the growth is 20% up on last year. He also said that they are expecting further growth in the coming year. This is because of the uphill trend of holidaying in the non-euro countries. This is one of the main reasons why Turkey’s tourism market is also growing every day.

The American Express Global Foreign Exchange Services Currency Index stated current figures which revealed that there is a 60% increase in demand for Egyptian currency, if compared to the last year. The company also said that, they are expecting that Egypt will be a hotspot for the next year at least.

Egypt, the name synonymous with the Nile and Mummies, is still one of the most popular holiday destinations for tourists across the globe. The Necropolis, carved into limestone cliffs on the west bank of the Nile near Luxor, is one of the country’s popular tourist spots which experiences thousands of visitors on a daily basis.

However, Egypt suffered a setback early this year due to the onset of the recession. Egypt then managed to stage a comeback in the third quarter of 2009. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism expects only a meagre decline of around 4 percent this year. Tourists are still eager to visit Egypt despite the current scenario.

Experts suggest that Egypt managed to remain popular, due to the presence of the Nile Valley, which attracts many tourists. Popular Egyptian resorts faced a decline in the number of tourists at the beginning of 2009. However, they responded to the situation with discounted room rates. Egypt also countered the after-effects of the recession by introducing new schemes. For instance, officials offered a deal to charter flight operators in which they were compensated for any vacant seats.

Egypt witnessed an influx of tourists since the Easter break in April.

Most people would agree that a holiday with family is the best kind. Egypt is one of the most amazing destinations to visit for your holidays. The country is known as the home to the ancient Egyptian civilisations. It is a land of temples, hieroglyphs, sand and pyramids.

Must visit destinations for your holidays in Egypt

1) The pyramids of Giza: The pyramids are one of the most celebrated attractions in Egypt. There were three Pharaohs buried here. Namely, Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure.

2) The Egyptian museum: Located on the Northern edge of Midan Tahirr, this museum is said to be among the greatest in the world. The museum boasts of thousands of items on display. Attractions worth looking at here include the treasures of Tutankhamen, pre-dynasty and Old Kingdom monuments among others.

3) The Valley of the Kings: Better known as ‘Wadi e Mulk’ is located on the west bank of the Luxor. It is an archaeological site and served as a burial ground for many Pharaohs. The greatest attractions in the valley of Kings are the tomb of Tutankhamen and numerous other tombs.

In addition to visiting these places, you should go to the Red Sea, Sharm el Sheikh and the temples of Shaqqara and Dashur.

Egypt began this year on shaky ground due to a decrease in the numbers of tourists. However, it managed to regain its lost glory in the last quarter of 2009. The increasing number of tourists has further provided a boost to the Egyptian tourism sector.

According to Zoheir Garranah, Egyptian tourism minister, the Middle East country was one of the first to take action since the economic crisis. Egypt countered the effects of economic turmoil by providing various tour packages to tour operators. They have also improved their marketing campaigns to attract people. Such strategies helped the country to maintain a steady flow of visitors.

However, the minister also said that Egypt needs to perform consistently to maintain their market share. Mr Garranah also said that a greater number of tourists from Britain have already booked flights to Egypt. The tourism industry has thus witnessed a 20 percent growth since last year. Garranah is optimistic that the current trend of holidaying in the non-euro zone will further increase the number of tourists. This particular reason has benefited Turkey’s tourism industry of late.

Recent reports have suggested a 60 percent increase in demand for the Egyptian pound. It is expected that Egypt will remain a popular tourist spot in 2010 as well.

Egyptian tourism began on shaky ground at the start of this year. Tourism is one of the major sources of the Egyptian economy. However, Egypt managed to stage a comeback during the summer season. This is an indication to the fact that the recession has had a relatively moderate impact on the tourism sector.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, Egypt faced a decline of around 6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2009. It also faced a decline in the number of tourists by around 5.4 percent during the first nine months of 2009. This was an indication that tourists had curbed their holiday spending during the economic crisis. In spite of this decline, the current figures show a significant recovery compared to the first quarter of turbulent 2009. Contrary to the reports of reduction in number of tourists, Egypt has witnessed a consistent rise over the past two months.

According to Zoheir Garrana, the minister for tourism, Egypt hopes to witness a full recovery by the third quarter of 2010. Recent reports have also suggested around 10.9m tourists arrived in 2009. This is only 4.5 percent less compared to the figures of 2008. The hotels in Sharm El Sheikh have reported 80 percent occupancy.

It is certain that Egypt will wish to continue its prolific run over the coming festive holidays.

Holidays to Egypt immerse you in an exotic experience, filled with breathtaking historical sites and natural wonders. Egypt is home to two of the most beautiful and natural places in the world- Cairo and Sharm el Sheikh.

Cairo

Cairo is one of the world’s largest modern areas, and has around 20 million people residing in the city. Cairo stirs your senses with the intense aroma of spices. There are many remarkable and wonderful places to visit in Egypt, but no holiday is complete without visiting the Great Pyramids of Giza.

Enjoy the dark passageway that leads to the tomb of the pyramids or take a camel ride around the pyramids, watching the Sphinx- which was carved by thousands of workers out of just one stone.

Sharm el Sheikh

Sharm el Sheikh is a stunning resort, and is located at the southern tip of the peninsula. Many people find that Sharm el Sheikh has exceptional diving facilities, where you can enjoy a colourful world under the sea. The Red Sea is very calm and is home to hundreds of multi-coloured fish.

There are plenty of activities to enjoy in the Sinai region, such as St Katherine’s monastery, Mount Sinai and a bumpy ride through the desert.

Holidays to Egypt are great for all the family- particularly history enthusiasts.

Egypt is one of the most popular tourist destinations for holidays in the world, and its’ popularity is set to increase thanks to the efforts of a major hotel and cruise company.

Jaz Hotels, Resorts and Cruises are expected to introduce nine new attractions before the end of 2010. The 4-star Sol Y Mar Sharks Bay hotel resort will be the first to open, followed by the Sol Y Mar Naama Bay hotel. The 5-star Iberotel Il Mercato is expected to open its doors shortly afterwards.

All of the hotels are situated in the coastal resort of Sharm el Sheikh and three more hotels- along with a five-star resort- will be incorporated into the expansion. The hotels will be located on the beach in the Naqb part of Sharm El Sheikh. In addition to the resorts, two 5-star Nile cruisers will be introduced.

Since the onset of the recession, Egypt has grown as a tourist destination, which is why Jaz hotels have enhanced their accommodation plans- in order to meet increasing demand.

The introduction of 5-star resorts and cruise liners is sure to provide a further boost to Egypt’s tourism industry.

A recent report complied by American Express has suggested that Turkey and Egypt are expected to remain popular tourist destinations in 2010.

The statistics from the Global Foreign Exchange Services Currency Index, cited excellent exchange rates as one of the main reasons for their popularity.

Both destinations are expected to become even more popular as people start to think about booking their summer holidays.

There was a 60 percent increase in demand for Egyptian pounds, and an increase of around 26 percent for the Turkish lira. According to American Express, this will also benefit those who wish to buy properties in these countries.

A new golf course and marina are expected to be constructed in Turkey, which will further enhance the countries’ popularity, particularly the resort of Altinkum.

The improvement in exchange rates coupled with the exotic tourist spots that both Turkey and Egypt offer will most certainly have a major positive impact on their tourism industries.

So, if you’re already planning your holidays for next year, why not take advantage of some of the amazing holiday deals that are currently on offer for both of these destinations.

Egypt has emerged as the current favourite in the list of popular tourist destination spots among British tourists. According to the Egyptian State Tourist Office, British tourists are eager to derive maximum benefits from the current foreign exchange rates.

The country is also a popular holiday destination for families who are searching for a tourist destination beyond Europe. The reducing value of the sterling has been cited as the major reason for the increase in the number of tourists visiting Egypt.

According to an official from the Egyptian State Tourist Office, Egypt has always provided value for money for tourists. The reduction in the value of the pound has further contributed to the increase in the overall number of tourists. Moreover, Egypt has always been a popular tourist destination because of its vast number of archaeological monuments such as pyramids and the Sphinx.

In addition to this, the spokesperson said that Egypt’s favourable climate, coupled with the exciting activities that can be undertaken in the country will certainly attract more visitors to the land. Other reports have suggested an increment in the number of people travelling to Sharm El Sheikh. The increase is around 142 percent compared to the year 2008. This particular rise has been followed with a fall in the cost of holidays to the Red Sea resort.