To the pyramids

The Temple of Philae in Aswan. [Photo/China Daily]

The event helped boost bilateral cultural exchanges, officials say.

The Egyptian embassy plans to hold a photography exhibition in Beijing, named Egypt in Chinese Eyes, according to Abu.

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met with 25 top Chinese travel agencies during his visit to China in December 2014, and promised to offer convenient measures to attract Chinese tourists, says Egyptian Ambassador to China Magdy Amer.

A weeklong event featuring Chinese culture was held in Egypt's Hurghada in May, aiming to attract Chinese tourists.

The introduction of charter flights in February this year from Shanghai, Chengdu and Shenzhen to Egypt, in addition to commercial flights, will play a positive role in drawing more Chinese tourists to Egypt, says Abu.

"By 2020, we aspire to attract at least one million Chinese tourists per year," says press counselor Hoda Jadalla of the Egyptian embassy.

"There are a number of must-visit places in Egypt," Jadalla says.

The Pyramids of Giza, the Egyptian museum in Cairo, Abu Simbel or the west bank of Luxor are all places visitors must not miss on their first trip to the country, Jadalla says.

Many travelers fly directly to Upper Egypt to see Luxor and Aswan, she says.

The tourism office recommends watching a sound and light show at the pyramids, and visiting the Temple of Philae or Abu-Simbel, which tells the story of ancient Egyptian history.

Tourists can also enjoy safaris to the Western Desert Oases, the stunning Great Sand Sea and the Sinai desert.

The Colored Canyon, a natural wonder of the Sinai desert, is a maze of sandstone rocks in hues of yellow, purple, red, magenta and gold reaching up to 40 meters.

Last year, 200 Chinese tourists embarked on a safari trip to the Giza Pyramids and Bahariya oasis packed inside 60 cars.

Red Sea resorts that boast easy access to coral reefs are ideal for divers, who can visit Alexandria and the north coast to explore underwater ruins in the Mediterranean that date back to the golden age of the pharaohs and up to the reign of Cleopatra, according to the office.

"The best time to travel to Egypt is from September to June," says Dai Yu, marketing director for online travel giant Ctrip's tourism department.

"There are nonstop flights to Egypt from Beijing and Guangzhou and a one-way trip takes approximately 11 hours," she says.