Sami Mahmoud, the Head of the Tourism Promotion Authority, said the global tourism industry is an industry capable of pushing forward the comprehensive development worldwide, provide millions of jobs and increase awareness among decision makers and the public as tourism has large economic and social effects and is able to bring about positive change in countries, communities and the lives of people in general, to provide hard currency and to help many developing countries to be more capable of realizing progress.
He pointed out that tourism is not just the pyramids or beaches, but also distinctive services, paved roads and high quality airports and hotels. It is also the culture of the people, he said. We, in the Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Promotion Authority, take advantage of the state’s efforts in the roads network as well as the ongoing improvement in the railways, he said.
Indeed, there are many positive steps taken in this direction, especially that Arab tourists are very interested in the cultural tourism and we have to offer them additional means of entertainment. Before the revolution Arab tourists used to come to Egypt to watch plays by Adel Imam and Said Saleh and other artists and therefore the cultural aspect that serves Arab tourists should be given concern such as producing plays by leading artists and create several and distinct means of entertainment. The Ministry of Culture should play its role through organising distinguished and high quality events.
As for tourists from African states, Mahmoud said it does not exceed one percent of the total number of tourists. They come from South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria in addition to North Africa countries, represented by Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Libya before the revolution.
As for tourism investment, he said the state is expected to issue within the coming days a new ministerial resolution to be signed by Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou, noting that the resolution pertains to investment in the northern coast including establishing a hotel room for every real estate unit to bridge the gap tourism is facing as regards hotel rooms during the summer.
He pointed out to a comprehensive blueprint for the development of tourism in the northern coast through a consulting firm under the Ministry of Housing to include tourist and industrial areas and universities.
He stressed that the ministry is currently studying new regulations for the programme on encouraging charter flights to five airports, namely Luxor, Aswan, Taba, Marsa Alam and Matrouh, which will be applied in November and lasts for one year.
This will be done through the largest world tour operators expecting an impact on incoming movement to the five cities in light of the ministry’s decision to encourage the charter flights once again along with receiving other requests from some tour operators to Egypt. The Ministry of Tourism’s approval of these proposals was provided they do not add burdens to the ministry.
