Sunday 22 Dec
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, discussed with US Ambassador to Cairo, Herro Garg, and her accompanying delegation ways to enhance tourism and archaeological cooperation between the two countries, and mechanisms to drive more tourism from the US market to Egypt in the coming period.
The minister welcomed the
ambassador and praised the strong strategic and historical ties between Egypt
and the United States. He expressed a desire to enhance cooperation between the
ministry, the US embassy, and the USAID to strengthen development and
cooperation in tourism and antiquities, and to address any obstacles hindering
these relations.
The US Ambassador affirmed the
strong cooperation between Egypt and the United States and expressed a desire
for continued bilateral cooperation, especially in tourism and antiquities.
During the meeting, the minister
outlined the ministry's strategic priorities for the upcoming period. These
include diversifying tourism patterns and markets, and developing each tourism
sector individually to make Egypt the world's leading destination for diverse
tourism products. He highlighted the role of the Supreme Council of Antiquities
in preserving Egypt's archaeological heritage and the ongoing development and
restoration work at archaeological sites, such as the Giza Pyramids area, the
Grand Egyptian Museum, and surrounding areas.
The meeting also discussed the
development and infrastructure growth in the North Coast region and El Alamein
city. These areas offer rich tourist, cultural, and recreational attractions.
The minister noted that El Alamein has welcomed visitors from 104 nationalities
this year.
The meeting discussed ways to
attract more US tourists to Egypt. This includes joint promotional campaigns, between
the Egyptian General Authority for Tourism Promotion and American tour
operators, organizing tourism caravans in American cities, and workshops
between Egyptian and American tour operators. Additionally, temporary
exhibitions of Egyptian antiquities were considered as a promotional tool for
cultural tourism, which is popular among US tourists.
The meeting discussed tourism
investment opportunities in Egypt, particularly in the hotel sector. The goal
is to increase the number of hotel rooms to accommodate the targeted tourist
numbers. The possibility of inviting American investors to explore these opportunities
was also discussed.
The meeting emphasized continued cooperation to combat illicit trafficking of cultural property and smuggling of antiquities, in light of the cooperation protocol signed between the two countries. It also focused on investing in sustainable tourism at archaeological sites, raising local awareness, and developing the skills of workers in the antiquities sector. These efforts include restoration, site management, and preparing files for UNESCO World Heritage registration.
