April 23- The Ministry of Tourism on Thursday announced that Egypt’s tourism sector  is growing this year after witnessing a year of severe decline. According to the figures released, Egypt's tourism revenues witnessed a 24 per cent increase during the first quarter of 2010, that is, $2.7 billion for the three months ending March. Meanwhile, tourist arrivals rose 29 per cent to 3.46 million visitors.

Omayma El-Husseini, the tourism ministry's official spokesperson, said "the same can be expected for the next quarter up until the end of the fiscal year." The increase is the gradual wearing of the effects of the economic crisis that hit the globe last year which has led to rising consumer spending, he said.

To ensure that tourism growth continues, Egypt also approved charter flights to the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts as well as to Luxor, added El-Husseini.