Any person wishing to enter Egypt will need to obtain a visa before departure and will not be offered it at the airport upon arrival, Egypt's ministry of foreign affairs announced, Al Ahram daily reported.

Individual tourists must obtain visas for tourism purposes from Egypt’s diplomatic missions prior to their arrival in Egypt, the statement says.

Organized tourist groups will be the only exception, according to the statement.

The decision will apply from May 15.

“This is an act of state sovereignty,” foreign ministry spokesman Badr Abdel Atti told Ahram Online. “Every country has the right to protect its borders,” Lenta reported.

The same decision was taken in September 2011, but the government suspended it after three days due to a public outcry and accusations that it will be a big blow to Egypt’s tourism industry.