Egypt to add more flights from India

New Delhi, Dec 14: To give an impetus to the growing India-Egypt ties, the number of flights between the two countries are expected to grow to seven a week in the next six months.

"Foreign ministers of both the countries would meet shortly and a memorandum of understanding would be signed to increase the number of Egypt Air flights to seven from the two at present," Ambassador of Egypt Mohammed Higazy said at the sidelines of the Indo-Egypt Joint Commission meet here.

The country is looking to add flights from cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Currently only Egypt Air is operating flights between the two countries, flying twice a week from Mumbai.

To boost business and tourist travel, the Egyptian government has made a provision to give visa on arrival, relaxing norms and making it easier for tourists to visit the country, Tourism Counsellor at the Egyptian Consulate Samy Mahmoud said.

He said his country would also make efforts to increase the flow of Indian tourists and promote Egypt both as a stopover and transit destination.

"In 2005, we had 57000 Indian tourists in Egypt and from January to November this year the number stands at 60000," he added.

source