Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Minister, Shreef Fathy, recently met with Japanese Ambassador to Egypt, Iwaya Fumio, and his accompanying delegation to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between Egypt and Japan in the tourism and antiquities sectors. The meeting aimed to boost tourism from the Japanese market to Egypt. Minister Fathy highlighted the growth in tourist arrivals from various markets, noting a 4% increase from January to September this year compared to the same period last year.
During the meeting, Fathy and the Japanese ambassador discussed ideas to promote Egypt as a tourist destination in the Japanese market. One of the ideas included organizing introductory trips for Japanese influencers to visit Egypt and experience its diverse tourism products and experiences. The Japanese ambassador expressed his country's growing interest in visiting Egypt, citing the recent opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum as a significant factor in increasing Japanese tourist arrivals.
Minister Fathy expressed his optimism about the upcoming winter tourism season, expecting it to perform well. He also noted the significant growth in tourist arrivals from Japan during the first half of this year, reflecting the increasing interest of Japanese tourists in visiting Egypt. The minister and the ambassador also discussed Egypt's participation in the Tourism Expo Japan, an international tourism fair scheduled to take place from September 24 to 26.
The Tourism Expo Japan is an important event for promoting Egypt as a tourist destination and providing an opportunity for direct communication with industry professionals and tour organizers. Minister Fathy emphasized the significance of participating in international tourism fairs to attract more tourists from target markets, including Japan. The meeting also touched on ways to further enhance cooperation between Egypt and Japan in the tourism and antiquities sectors.
The Japanese ambassador highlighted the importance of the Grand Egyptian Museum in attracting Japanese tourists, citing the country's rich history and culture as a major draw. He expressed his country's enthusiasm for visiting Egypt and exploring its ancient heritage. The meeting was attended by Dr. Hisham El-Lithi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, and Rana Gohhar, Minister Fathy's advisor for communication and external relations.
Minister Fathy and Ambassador Iwaya Fumio agreed to continue coordinating and cooperating to strengthen tourism and antiquities relations between Egypt and Japan. They also emphasized the need to capitalize on available opportunities to increase tourism between the two countries. The meeting concluded with a commitment to further enhance cooperation and promote tourism between Egypt and Japan.
The Egyptian tourism sector has shown resilience and growth, with a 4% increase in tourist arrivals from January to September this year. The sector is optimistic about the upcoming winter tourism season, with expectations of a strong performance. Egypt's participation in international tourism fairs, such as the Tourism Expo Japan, is seen as a crucial step in promoting the country as a tourist destination and attracting more visitors from around the world.
Key points
- Egyptian tourist arrivals have increased by 4% from January to September this year compared to the same period last year.
- The Grand Egyptian Museum has had a positive impact on increasing Japanese tourist arrivals to Egypt.
- Egypt and Japan have agreed to enhance cooperation in the tourism and antiquities sectors to increase tourism between the two countries.
