The annual number of tourists visiting Egypt has risen to more than 15 million, cabinet spokesman Magdi Radi said on Sunday.

“Tourism is one of the most important sectors of the economy that the government intends to develop,” Radi said. “And it's a sector that attracts major investment.”

The government estimates that 6.9 million tourists visited Egypt during the first six months of this year, compared to 5.7 million for the same period last year.

Egyptian Tourism Minister Zuhair Garranah announced in September that the number of European tourists to Egypt had risen by 21 percent during the first half of this year.

MENA, Translated from the Arabic Edition.