Friday March 29th, 2024
Download SceneNow app
Copied

Egypt's Minister of Tourism Predicts a Gold Mine in Tourism this Year

With the turn of the new year, it looks like a number of major sources are factoring into Egypt’s increase in tourism.

Staff Writer

Ever since the uprise of the Arab Spring in 2011, Egypt has faced a substantial decline in the tourism sector. International residents have feared coming to Egypt, hearing news of the political turmoil, as well as several terrorism-related incidents.

However, with the turn of 2018, people are more optimistic. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt's Minister of Tourism, expressed in a conference that took place at Marriott Mena House Hotel that the Ministry of Tourism is looking at ways to boost the industry in Egypt. Of the things Al-Mashat talked about, one of the most exciting was an activation asking people to "Cheer Like An Egyptian" (in relation to the FIFA World Cup Matches) to get a 'Golden Ticket' that allows them to experience Egypt like a true Pharaoh. Plans to also put us higher on the tourism map also include utilising international social media influencers to promote the country.

There are also talks of plans to run TV advertisements in Russia, Germany, UK, Italy and Ukraine, as well as on public screens in multiple city centres across London, Spain, Germany and Poland. Billboards promoting tourism in Egypt will also be put up in the perimeters of the World Cup Stadium for every single match.

Al-Mashat also discussed three points that would help contribute to this improvement in tourism; human resources, creativity and technology. Boosting tourism will help economic growth and income, which in turn will create more job opportunities. 

Al-Mashat has already talked about focusing on the GCC market, as they embody a large percentage of tourists in Egypt, and because of the familiarity of tradition and culture which would make Arabs feel at home.

 

#Egypt has initiated a novel and modern approach to attract more tourists from around the world and also promote the country as a great destination to invest. I was honoured to sign an important contract tonight in Moscow with the Fédération International de Football Association to become an Official African Regional Supporter of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™️. @ExperienceEgypt is determined to use this global opportunity to showcase the world’s biggest sporting event, the incredible rich and diverse tourism experiences that our country has to offer. And I wish, of course, the very best of luck to the Pharaohs on the pitch. We will play our part off it. Let’s get the ball rolling. #ThisisEgypt

A post shared by Rania A. Al-Mashat (@raniaalmashat) on

Al-Mashat predicted that the Egyptian tourism revenue will be increasing by $400 million in 2018, especially with the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in 2019.

“Going forwards, what is very important for us is to diversify our visitor base. Focus more on Asia, Eastern Europe, and some of the emerging economies like Kazakhstan and so forth. That’s to help make the sector resilient, and less vulnerable to shocks,” Al-Mashat told Gulf News.

Main image taken from Tourism Review.