Song Yingwen

WHEN holders of Chinese UnionPay banking cards are able to draw cash in the local currency in Egypt at the end of the year, Egypt will become far closer to Shenzheners than they previously imagined, said Nasser Abdel-Aal, counselor of tourism of the Egyptian Embassy in China, on Friday.

Other services catering to Shenzhen travelers and businessmen that will soon be offered by Egypt include the Guangzhou-Cairo direct flight that will open June 2. A planned Consulate General of Egypt in Guangzhou will also simplify the visa application process, according to a seminar promoting tourism and business opportunities in Egypt held on the sidelines of the Third China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair (ICIF) on Friday.

The seminar, also attended by Egyptian Ambassador to China Mahmoud Allam and representatives of the Egypt-China Business Council, revealed that Egypt is attaching more importance to Shenzhen and South China in its business cooperation strategy with China.

“This is the first time we attend the ICIF. We will expand our booth size in the coming years, and will introduce more to Shenzheners about the business opportunities and tourism in Egypt,” said Allam.

Despite its exotic locales and long history, Egypt has yet to make an effort to lure Shenzhen tourists, said Lai Yanfei, an employee of China Travel Service Shenzhen Co. Ltd. Lai, who recently returned from Egypt, where she was looking at possible travel routes, said Shenzheners place Southeast Asia, Australia, North America and Europe ahead of Egypt when they look at holiday options. “Egypt, along with other African countries, comes almost as the last choice. This is partly because of the geographic distance, but lacking knowledge about the travel information, including visa-applying process and accommodations, is also a major reason,” said Lai.

Her opinion was echoed by Huang Qingsong, a representative of a foreign trade company in Shenzhen. Huang raised a question about Egyptian visas at the seminar. “My company is interested in exploring business opportunities in Egypt, but we have no idea about some basic things. So there is really a lot the both sides have to do if we want to enter the Egyptian market,” Huang said.

According to the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shenzhen Subcouncil, one of the sponsors of the seminar, Shenzhen enterprises currently showing an interest in the Egyptian market are mainly in the electronics, marble and mineral industries.

Statistics from the Egyptian Government shows that 52,000 Chinese people visited Egypt in 2006.