Tourism sector's indicators confirm we are on right track: PM

CAIRO – 26 March 2019: “The tourism sector's indicators confirm the sector is taking steady stepson the right track and is gaining the confidence of tourists,” said Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli Monday in the Regional Forum for Technological Innovation in Tourism.

Madbouli also praised the role of the World Tourism Organization in supporting tourism in Arab countries.

During his speech, Madbouli said that the program of structural reform to support the tourism sector aims to develop the sector in Egypt, adding that the tourism sector is one of the sectors supporting the Egyptian economy.

Madbouli pointed out that all state agencies cooperate to provide tourism services to tourists in Egypt, stressing the importance attached by the political leadership to the tourism sector.

Madboulireferred that the Grand Egyptian Museum will be one of the largest museums in the world, stressing that the Egyptian state supports partnership with international institutions.

The prime minister also received Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization ZurabPolokolakashvili in the presence of Minister of Tourism Rania al-Mashat on the sidelines of the forum.

During the meeting, Polokolakashviliexpressed his pleasure to participate in the meetings of the Regional Committee for the Middle East and the Forum on Technological Innovation in Tourism.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)’s 2018 release on global travel and tourism, Egypt welcomed about 8.5 million tourists during 2017 with an increase of 55.1 percent, compared to the same period of the previous year.

Luxor and Giza were among Egypt’s most famous and well-known cities, according to the report. France, however, was the highest voted country for tourists in 2017.

In August, a government official told Reuters that Egypt’s tourism revenues jumped 77 percent in the first half of 2018 to amount to $4.8 billion, compared to the same period of the previous year.