Miscellaneous
Return of the roses

A tiny item on Al-Wafd's front page reports that hotel occupancy in Aswan will be 100 per cent for the mid year vacation beginning January 26. Many of the vacationers are families and groups taking advantage of discounts announced by the Tourism Ministry amounting to up to 60 per cent. The influx should hopefully bring some much needed cash flow to the city's economy, which depends on tourism for its survival. There has been a serious drop in visitors since September 11, and across the country, officials and tour industry folk are banking on domestic tourism helping to carry things over, balancing the losses until the foreign tourists come back.
(December 28, 2001)

Ad watch
Hello, I can sing
Those who feel they have a hidden talent for song are probably ecstatically calling the number being advertised frequently on Al-Ahram's back page. Billed the "largest talent search in Egypt and the Arab world", the deal is: you call a number on your mobile phone, pay LE1.50 a minute to listen to the instructions and then show off your voice. The winners will appear on a televised talent show called "Ghanili Shwaya", and from there, who knows what success the stars will bring...
(December 28, 2001)