Egypt says will boost security at tourist sites

Egypt plans to increase the number of security cameras at hotels and popular tourist destinations as part of a series of new security measures aimed at buoying the flagging tourism sector following three years of political turmoil, the country's tourism minister said.

Once a prime destination, Egypt has seen its hotels, beaches and famed ancient sites sit largely empty since the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 kicked off a period of prolonged social unrest. The number of tourists visiting the country dropped from more than 14 million in 2010 to just 9.5 million last year, according to government figures.

In addition to the security cameras, the government plans to introduce mandatory background checks for tourism industry workers, Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazoua told The Associated Press late Sunday. Egypt also will bolster airport security and plans to implement a comprehensive system for monitoring health standards in hotels, Zaazoua told listeners at an international conference on tourism safety on Sunday.