This archive report was first published on 15 June 2020.
On June 14, 2020, Egypt's government announced that it would be reopening its airports on July 1 and welcoming back tourists to its beach resorts, which had been closed since March to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Aviation Minister Mohamed Manar, flights will resume between Egypt and countries that have reopened their airspace.
"We hope that business will resume," Manar said during a news conference in Cairo.
Only three governorates, the Red Sea, South Sinai, and Marsa Matruh, will be allowed to welcome tourists, as they are coastal, far from main centers, and have reported the lowest numbers of virus infections, according to Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled al-Anani.
The government has also decided to waive tourist visas from July 1 until October 31, Anani added.
Other tourist sites, including the pyramids at Giza, the Egyptian museum in Cairo, and Luxor's Karnak temple, will reopen progressively, Anani said.
"We are not in a hurry. We want to ensure everyone's health and our reputation as a tourist destination," he added.
Over 200 hotels have received permission to reopen to tourists after implementing strict sanitary measures, including spacing out restaurant tables and restricting elevator capacities.
Any establishment breaching health regulations will have this authorization revoked, the minister said.
