In the simplicity of sun, sea, sand, mountains, the luxury of five-star hotels, water sports, shopping and entertainment centers, tourists from all over the world come to the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh regardless of the financial crunch and the outbreak of influenza A/H1N1.

"I used to visit Sharm el-Sheikh every year to enjoy its charming nature, diving, snorkeling, windsurfing and other water sports -- horse and camel riding and desert safaris," said Fabbrizi, an Italian tourist who was shopping in an old market.

"Egypt did not report any case of the new influenza that is why we feel safe to come here, although the world is suffering from the outbreak of H1N1 virus in addition to the economic problems," he said.

The Italian tourist said, "Our prime minister visited the city last week and he was so happy to see the large number of Italians here."

"I visited a resort here in Sharm el-Sheikh and found that 90 percent of the tourists are Italians, I felt that I'm in Italy," Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi joked in a meeting with the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Egypt is the number one destination for Italian tourists, 1.5 million of whom come to visit Egypt mainly Sharm el-Sheikh every year.

Sharm el-Sheikh is known as The City of Peace because a large number of international peace conferences have been held here. It is the administrative hub of Egypt's South Sinai Governorate which includes the smaller coastal towns of Dahab and Nuweiba as well as the Saint Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai.

Late in April, Egyptian Minister of Finance Youssef Boutros Ghali said the global financial crunch will show its impacts on the budget as it will prompt the government to reconsider its priorities.

The tourism industry, energy exports, Suez Canal tolls and remittances from expatriate workers are four pillars of Egypt's revenues.

"Sharm el-Sheikh is an exception. Till now we feel that our business is neither affected by the financial crisis nor by the new virus H1N1," said Soad El Mahdy, owner of one of the tourist resorts here.

"We needed to make more promotions, new offers and special prices for large groups of tourists, all this can be very helpful," she added.

"In April, occupation rate reached 73 percent and this is a very good rate compared with the same month last year," she said.

"I think in the coming few months the occupation rate would be much better because they are months of the high season and we are well-prepared," said El Mahdy.

Margherita, another Italian tourist said, "The offers of this year are much better than last year that is why we did not feel that we will spend much money. There are varieties of the levels you can choose."

"If you visit Sharm el-Sheikh you can enjoy the sea and desert. You can go in a diving trip to Ras Muhammad and Tiran Island which are the most famous diving sites in the Red Sea. In the desert, you go for a safari to explore the Sinai desert either on bikes or in the old fashion way -- on the back of a camel," said Margherita.

"After sunset when the temperature is good you can go shopping in Sharm el-Sheikh's well-known Old Sharm Market just a few minutes from the center of tourist activities in Naama Bay. You can buy Egyptian souvenirs especially Egyptian cotton T-shirts and papyrus paintings to keep or give your friends as gifts when you return home from your holiday," she added.

Ashraf Adel, who owns a bazaar in Naama Bay, said, "Tourists come here to spend a happy time and make shopping regardless of the financial crisis or the new flu."

"At the beginning of the financial crisis, we were really afraid that it would overthrow our business, but a few months later, we felt that Sharm el-Sheikh is well-fortified and capable of facing challenges," Adel said.

"We deal with different tourists with different nationalities from all over the world. All of them came here without thinking of the financial crisis or the outbreak of the swine flu (now officially named influenza A/H1N1)," he added.

Pelal Rashed, who works as an assistant manager in a five-star hotel, said "It is clear as you see from the occupation rate that Sharm el-Sheikh can tame any crisis. It can challenge any crisis whether the financial crunch or H1N1 virus as it did before in more difficult times."

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2009)