Egypt, a country long admired for its culture, history and man-made wonders, is attracting a growing number of Canadian travellers. According to the Egyptian Tourist Authority in Canada (ETA), the volume of Canadian visitors to Egypt rose to 88,591 in 2009 compared with 76,921 in 2007, an increase of 15 per cent.

ETA reports that the increase is due to an increased awareness among Canadians of the uniqueness and diversity of Egypt. The average Canadian will stay in Egypt for two weeks and will visit Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and either Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada. The Egyptian desert is also steadily becoming a popular amongst Canadian travellers.

To support this steady desire to discover one of the world’s oldest civilizations, ETA recently launched in Canada a global campaign that reflects the cultural inheritance and enchantment felt by people around the world toward their country. Launched in mid-February, the campaign is grouped under the slogan “Where it all begins” and features a new logo based on a stylized version of the word “Egypt”.

“One of the most important lessons given to us by the ancient Egyptians is the importance of storytelling, signs and symbols,” said Nagwa Korashy, Consul and Director for the Egyptian Tourist Authority in Canada. “This new campaign is meant to tell people that dreams can come to life and stories can last a lifetime thanks to the breadth of experiences awaiting visitors to Egypt.”

The campaign also features creative branding and a significant advertising program. Both print and television advertisements showcase various travellers as they experience different aspects of Egypt along with a brief storyline meant to elicit curiosity and intrigue viewers. The campaign includes 30 and 60-second television commercials, special events, a new website, trade publications and ads in dailies and lifestyle magazines. The emphasis on visual and graphic work of the advertisements reflects the beauty of the country and inspires a unique experience that reminds us “where it all begins”. To watch the television advertisement, visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY_xHZ22teY.

“Egypt is more than a contemporary country with beaches, pyramids and museums,” said Korashy. “Egypt is a gateway to the beginnings of our current culture, and a shared heritage site that is revered and admired by people of all ages around the world.”

The media buy is one of the largest investments by the Egyptian Tourist Authority in recent memory, and is expected to contribute to yet another year of double-digit growth in travel to Egypt in 2010.