By GALAL FAKKAR | ARAB NEWS

JEDDAH: The 2011 Haj and Umrah season has saved more than 3,000 travel and tourist agencies in Egypt from going bankrupt, according to sources involved in Haj and Umrah services in the country.
They said the agencies suffered immense financial losses following the Jan. 25 revolution, which caused a sharp drop in the number of tourists coming to Egypt from Europe, America, Russia, Southeast Asia and others.

“Providing Haj services has enabled a number of travel and tourist agencies to compensate some of the financial losses they have incurred since the influx of Western tourists has sharply dwindled following the political incidents in the country,” said Ashraf Shiha, deputy chairman of the chamber of Egypt’s travel and tourism agencies.

He said more than 600,000 Egyptians performed Umrah during the past Ramadan, registering a record number. “The travel and tourist agencies divided the proceeds among themselves making good gains, especially since the Umrah costs per individual have reached more than $2,000,” he added.

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