Airports across Egypt reopened on Wednesday, with international commercial flights allowed in and out of the country.
Travel into Egypt has been restricted since airports closed in March, but in an effort to restart the tourism industry, authorities are once again welcoming international passenger flights at airports across the country.
If you're planning a visit, you might be interested to learn that Egypt has been awarded a Safe Travels Stamp by the World Travel and Tourism Council. This certification is bestowed on destinations that have adopted new protocols to protect the health of travellers.
Egypt also has some new tourist incentives in place. Visitors heading to the Red Sea, South Sinai, Matrouh, Luxor and Aswan are now exempt from purchasing visas. Instead, these travellers will be given a free 15-day tourism visa upon arrival. All other tourists must still apply for the relevant visa.
What rules are in place at airports?
All passengers arriving in Egypt must fill out a travel declaration and have valid international medical insurance for the duration of their stay. From August 15, all foreigners must also show negative negative Covid-19 test results taken no more than 72 hours prior to arriving in the country.
At Cairo International Airport, the country’s principal hub, face masks are compulsory and social distancing signage has been installed to help travellers respect safety measures. Similar protocols are in place at all other airports as operations gradually resume. EgyptAir, the country's national airline, is set to transport around 2,000 passengers on 14 international flights on the first day that commercial flights resume.
Arriving travellers should also expect to be temperature checked upon arrival.
Passengers’ bags will be disinfected before being loaded on to luggage conveyor belts for collection, so there may be additional wait times.
Which airlines are flying to Egypt?
Several airlines are flying direct to Egypt from the UAE. Emirates has resumed flights to Cairo from Wednesday, July 1, and will operate daily services to the Egyptian capital. Economy return fares start from Dh2,225.
Flydubai is flying direct from Dubai to Alexandria, with three flights per week. Return fares for the four-hour journey start from Dh1,990 in economy class.
From Sharjah, Air Arabia is flying to Alexandria and Cairo. Return flights to Borg El Arab start from Dh1,855, while fares to the Egyptian capital run from Dh1,200.
Etihad will resume flights to Cairo from Abu Dhabi from Thursday, July 16.
EgyptAir is flying from Cairo to Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and from Alexandria to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Tourists arriving on any EgyptAir flight can get a 20 per cent discount on entry prices to several archaeological sites and museums in the country.
Are hotels in Egypt open?
Only hotels that have been given a Hygiene Safety certificate by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Ministry of Health have reopened.
In Cairo, several hotels have been allowed to welcome travellers including the Kempinski Nile Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza and Horus House Hotel. Luxor’s Winter Palace and the Old Cataract in Aswan are also hosting guests again, as is the New Continental Port Said Hotel. In popular seaside destinations, many resorts have reopened including Eden Rock, Sea Beach and the Monte Carlo Sharm Al Sheikh.
Travellers checking in to any hotel in Egypt will have their temperature checked. There are restrictions on how many people can sleep in one room, with a maximum of two adults and two children, no matter how large the suite. All guests are provided with personal protective kits containing hand sanitiser and face masks.
Most swimming pools and beaches at tourist hotels are open – sunbeds are socially distanced and guests must bring towels from their rooms. Jacuzzis, saunas, steam rooms and spas are still closed.
Every hotel in Egypt must have a designated floor or area where any traveller with suspected Covid-19 symptoms can isolate. If any travellers test positive for the virus while there, the hotel will cover additional costs of lodging, food and drinks.
What can and can’t I do in Egypt?
After months of restrictions and curfews, things have somewhat returned to status quo after the government ended a three-month night-time curfew.
Several museums and tourists sites have reopened including the famed Giza Pyramids in Cairo – the first time they've been open since March.
Restaurants and cafes are allowed to operate with enhanced hygiene standards that include temperature checks, obligatory pre-booking and no open buffets. There’s also a maximum of six people per table, so if you are a bigger group, you’ll need to book two tables.
At tourist resorts, travellers can try water sports, diving and snorkelling, which are operating with reduced capacity. Boat trips are also allowed to operate at 50 per cent capacity and with obligatory face masks. The same goes for desert safaris. Most public beaches and parks remain closed.
More than 20 museums and tourist sites have already received their first foreign visitors. These include the Citadel of Saladin in Cairo, as well as the ancient temple of Karnak and the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor. Baron’s Palace in Cairo has opened for the first time in decades after restoration work was finished in the last few months. Visitors to the 20th-century museum must wear face masks and keep a safe distance.
Tourist numbers have been capped at all museums and archaeological sites. The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir can accommodate 200 visitors per hour, while all other museums have a limit of 100 people per hour. Tombs and pyramids can hold a maximum of 10 to 15 people inside at one time.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Race%20card
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It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Brief scoreline:
Burnley 3
Barnes 63', 70', Berg Gudmundsson 75'
Southampton 3
Man of the match
Ashley Barnes (Burnley)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
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The%20specs
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A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
Racecard
6pm: The Pointe - Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m
6.35pm: Palm West Beach - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (T) 1,800m
7.10pm: The View at the Palm - Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.45pm: Nakeel Graduate Stakes - Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
8.20pm: Club Vista Mare - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,900m
8.55pm: The Palm Fountain - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m
9.30pm: The Palm Tower - Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
OPTA'S PREDICTED TABLE
1. Liverpool 101 points
2. Manchester City 80
3. Leicester 67
4. Chelsea 63
5. Manchester United 61
6. Tottenham 58
7. Wolves 56
8. Arsenal 56
9. Sheffield United 55
10. Everton 50
11. Burnley 49
12. Crystal Palace 49
13. Newcastle 46
14. Southampton 44
15. West Ham 39
16. Brighton 37
17. Watford 36
18. Bournemouth 36
19. Aston Villa 32
20. Norwich City 29
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Background: Chemical Weapons
Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
Champion%20v%20Champion%20(PFL%20v%20Bellator)
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Related
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
The%C2%A0specs%20
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'Jurassic%20World%20Dominion'
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ACC%20T20%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Championship
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20fixtures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EFriday%2C%20June%2017%20v%20Oman%3Cbr%3ESaturday%2C%20June%2018%20v%20Singapore%3Cbr%3EMonday%2C%20June%2020%20v%20Malaysia%3Cbr%3EWednesday%2C%20June%2022%20v%20Qatar%3Cbr%3EFriday%2C%20June%2024%2C%20semi-final%3Cbr%3ESaturday%2C%20June%2025%2C%20final%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20squad%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chaya%20Mughal%20(captain)%2C%20Esha%20Oza%2C%20Indhuja%20Nandakumar%2C%20Kavisha%20Kumari%2C%20Khushi%20Sharma%2C%20Lavanya%20Keny%2C%20Priyanjali%20Jain%2C%20Rithika%20Rajith%2C%20Samaira%20Dharnidharka%2C%20Sanchin%20Singh%2C%20Siya%20Gokhale%2C%20Suraksha%20Kotte%2C%20Theertha%20Satish%2C%20Vaishnave%20Mahesh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
