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Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled al-Anany on Sunday said that foreign tourism will not return to Egypt anytime soon, and that tourism remains stalled worldwide, Egypt Independent reports.

He explained during a phone-in with Ahmed Moussa’s TV show “Ala Massoulity” (By My Responsibility) that the return of foreign tourism is dependent on the station in both Egypt and the countries where tourists will come from, alongside any health restrictions.

Some foreign countries have asked Egypt about the possibility of opening tourism by June, Anany said, adding that the government will consider the return of foreign tourism at an appropriate time once Egypt’s circumstances clear up.

He outlined several guidelines to be in place to receive tourists, such as a certificate proving they are not infected and are under 48 years of age.

All aircraft will be sterilized with their work crews committed to taking precautionary measures.

Anany announced on Sunday that the nation’s hotels will operate at a maximum 25 percent capacity until June for domestic tourism. From June 1 onward, Anany said that hotels will operate at a maximum 50 percent capacity.

He explained that investors seek to only restore work in the tourism sector and to facilitate the movement of tourism and its return again to its nature domestically in the interest of the public interest.

Various hotels, companies, restaurants, bazaars and cafes in Egypt’s resorts have closed their doors to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic.

Tourism experts have estimated that Egypt’s tourism sector loses one billion dollars monthly due to the pandemic.

Egypt on Sunday confirmed 272 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s number of confirmed total cases so far to 6,465.

The total number of COVID-19 deaths has now reached 429 nationwide.