Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy recently participated in Tourism Expo Japan 2026 in Tokyo, where he held a series of meetings with Japanese tour operators, tourism companies, and major media outlets. The meetings aimed to strengthen cooperation to promote Egypt as a tourist destination and develop new tourism programs tailored to Japanese travelers. Fathy highlighted Egypt's diverse tourism offerings, including cultural, beach, leisure, and desert tourism.
The Egyptian minister discussed organizing familiarization trips for Japanese tourism companies and increasing direct flights between Egypt and Japan to meet growing demand. He also emphasized the use of modern technology and artificial intelligence in tourism promotion, infrastructure improvements, and efforts to attract investments in the hotel sector. According to Fathy, visitors to Egypt stay an average of about 10 days, allowing for combined tourism programs.
Japanese tour operators expressed interest in new tourism products, particularly programs targeting younger travelers and combining different Egyptian destinations. They reported growing demand for visits to the Grand Egyptian Museum and currently offer programs combining Alexandria with Luxor and Aswan. Additionally, interest is growing in viewing next year's total solar eclipse from Luxor. Fathy mentioned that Egypt is exploring ways to develop tourism programs around the event.
The 2025 "Ramesses and the Gold of the Pharaohs" exhibition in Tokyo helped promote Egypt and increased interest in visiting the country, reflecting strong Japanese interest in ancient Egyptian civilization. Japanese tourism representatives noted that Egypt remains an important destination for the Japanese market, with stable visitor numbers this year despite regional developments.
Fathy's meetings with Japanese tour operators also focused on developing new tourism programs and attracting more visitors from Japan. The two sides discussed ways to promote Egypt's diverse tourism offerings, including cultural, beach, leisure, and desert tourism. Egyptian tourism authorities aim to capitalize on growing demand from Japanese travelers.
Japanese tour operators are interested in programs that combine different Egyptian destinations, such as Alexandria, Luxor, and Aswan. They also expressed interest in viewing the total solar eclipse from Luxor, which presents an opportunity for Egypt to develop tourism programs around the event. Fathy's visit to Tokyo aims to strengthen ties with Japanese tour operators and promote Egypt as a tourist destination.
The Egyptian Tourism Minister's visit to Tokyo resulted in strengthened ties with Japanese tour operators and a renewed focus on promoting Egypt as a tourist destination. Key outcomes of the meetings include increased cooperation, new tourism programs, and growing interest in visiting Egypt. The visit is expected to contribute to the growth of Egypt's tourism industry.
Key points
- Egyptian Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy meets Japanese tour operators in Tokyo to boost cooperation and promote Egypt as a tourist destination.
- The 2025 "Ramesses and the Gold of the Pharaohs" exhibition in Tokyo helped promote Egypt and increased interest in visiting the country.
- Egypt aims to develop tourism programs around the total solar eclipse, including combining visits to the North Coast with eclipse viewing in Siwa.
