Envoy announces move after seven-month travel ban CAIRO: Egypt is preparing to welcome French tourists again in October after a seven-month halt amid the coronavirus pandemic. Three Egyptian governorates began receiving tourists and international flights in July. On Wednesday, France’s ambassador in Cairo, Stephane Romatet, told Egypt’s Tourism Minister, Khaled Al-Anani, that France will resume tourist flights to Egyptian beach cities in October. The two men also discussed establishing a mechanism to boost tourist visits to Egypt from France. In mid-September, EgyptAir raised the number of flights and destinations it operated to 36 destinations after a hiatus of more than three months due to the coronavirus. On Sept. 3, Cairo Airport welcomed the first British Airways flight since the outbreak of the pandemic with 180 passengers on board. Egypt announced on June 14 that it will reopen three governorates for tourism and international flights, including the Red Sea resorts in Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh, in addition to Marsa Matrouh on the Mediterranean coast. Measures to contain the pandemic have brought the Egyptian tourism sector to a near standstill. Tourism accounts for between 12 percent and 15 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. Last March, Egypt suspended international flights and closed airports, museums and major archaeological sites due to the pandemic. However, last May it decided to allow hotels to operate again, with occupancy rates reduced to 25 percent and then increased to 50 percent.