The Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) is calling for more flexible measures for Canadians requesting visas to travel to Egypt.
Effective 01OCT 2023, Canadian travellers will no longer be able to obtain a visa upon arriving in Cairo. Instead, they must request their visa in person at the Egyptian Embassy located in Ottawa or Montréal or send a postal application.
On 07SEP, CATO released a statement expressing its "shock" over the new restrictions. "Whether applying in person or by mail, these changes bring added unwanted complexity to the traveler. This is clearly prohibitive for anyone," the Association said.
The statement wrote:
"This change presents a significant issue for tourists who are leaving in October and will likely cause frustration for those departing later, especially for group travelers. These new restrictions could also potentially decrease the interest of many Canadian travelers and discourage them from visiting Egypt. These changes create barriers against selling Egypt to Canadian citizens, and CATO members have indicated an increased number of calls from worried travelers and travel agents due to these abrupt changes.
CATO hopes that the Egyptian Authority will understand the importance of Canadian business in Egypt and recognize the pivotal role that tour operators play as partners to the destination and its tourism business. CATO urges the government in Egypt to reconsider these restrictions and, if not upon arrival in Egypt, to at least allow an ongoing permanent online application form. Additionally, we ask for more lead time with these changes."
Jean Hébert, Executive Director at CATO added: "“CATO is working hard to reach out to government officials and representatives at the Egyptian Embassy for a resolution to this situation that will benefit everyone impacted.”
CATO joins G Adventures in calling for more flexible measures. On 06SEP, G Adventures posted a statement to alert agents and their clients about the new measures. The tour operator called on members of CATO and ACTA to raise the issue with the Canadian government.
