An archaeologist introduces the mural painting in an ancient tomb uncovered in the Saqqara archaeological sites southwest of Cairo, Egypt, on March 19, 2022. (Photo: Xinhua)

CAIRO, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Egypt added on Friday 78 countries to its e-visa portal for tourists, expanding the list to cover more than 180 countries in a bid to attract more visitors, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a statement.

On July 3, 2021, Egypt launched an online electronic service for tourists, through which they can obtain a tourist visa to Egypt.

"Egyptian government continues to encourage tourists from different nationalities to visit Egypt by facilitating the procedures for obtaining a tourist visa," said the ministry statement.

Egypt received 3.5 million tourists in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, down from a record 13.1 million in 2019.

In 2021, tourism, one of the main sources of foreign currency in Egypt, saw a steady recovery as 3.5 million tourists visited Egypt in the first six months.