Egypt received 12.8 million tourists in 2008, with a 15.3 percent increase in tourist arrivals, said Tourism Minister Zoheir Garranah at a press conference Monday.
Over the year, the industry grew at a rate of 25 percent until the global economic crisis hit in September. Since then, tourism numbers began dropping in the last four months of 2008.
The global tourism sector grew by only 2 percent.
In fiscal year 2008, tourism contributed around 7 percent to Egypt’s GDP with revenues Read more

Egypt's Chamber of Diving and Watersports this week launched it's new website www.cdws.travel
The site provides a wealth of information to those interested in Diving and Watersports in Egypt including destination information specific to each activity, live weather information, maps and wreck data and history provided by Red Sea wreck expert and author Ned Middleton (this section going live early February). Read more

Sharm’s problems with garbage disposal have become increasingly worse; the surrounding desert and the inner and outer city streets were offending many eyes of residents and visitors.
The speed, at which Sharm grew, was too fast - the existing system of disposal and recycling could not keep track.
The governor of South Sinai and the city council of Sharm reacted, and several measures were taken:... Read more

Lupini Beans

In all supermarkets in Sharm, from small to big, you find these small whitish dried beans. Lupinis (Egyptian: Tirmes) are an excellent snack, very popular not only in Egypt, but many Mediterranean countries. Without the brine soak, bitter alkaloids would make lupini beans inedible.
Lupini beans do have a high protein content (almost as high as soybeans) so they are great to serve as an appetizer or side dish when the meal does not have a major protein source. Also to be eaten instead of peanuts or pop-corn while watching TV.. Read more