Cairo: Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly chaired a crucial meeting to review an international development plan for the area encompassing the Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, and extending from Sphinx International Airport in the north to Dahshur in the south. This meeting, which took place on Sunday, January 12, 2024, aimed to bolster the region’s tourist appeal and enhance visitor services, recognizing its significant archaeological and historical value.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the meeting included key figures such as Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities Engineer Sherif El-Sherbiny and Assistant Minister of Housing Abdel Khalek Ibrahim. The discussions focused on strategies to boost tourist traffic and elevate the overall visitor experience. Prime Minister Madbouly emphasized the area’s exceptional historical importance, noting its UNESCO-listed sites, and highlighted the forthcoming opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum as a significant development milestone.
He remarked on the necessity of preserving the area’s invaluable historical treasures while enhancing the visitor experience for both domestic and international tourists.
Government spokesperson Counselor Mohamed El-Homsany elaborated on the various strategies presented during the meeting, reflecting the government’s dedication to transforming the area into a world-class destination. This initiative is part of Egypt’s broader efforts to enhance its global tourism appeal and leverage its rich cultural heritage to fuel economic growth.
Egypt’s tourism sector has shown remarkable progress, with the World Tourism Organization noting that Egypt led African countries in tourism revenue, amassing $14 billion. The country also ranked third among Arab nations in terms of tourist arrivals, welcoming approximately 14.9 million visitors. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities anticipates about 15.3 million tourists by the end of 2024, marking a 5% increase over the previous year. However, regional instability poses po
tential challenges to achieving the original target of 18 million tourists for 2024.
Despite these challenges, the Egyptian government remains determined to strengthen the tourism sector, aiming to boost annual revenues from an estimated $12 billion to $30 billion over the next three years. The sector continues to perform robustly, with hotel occupancy rates averaging over 75%, and in some regions, surpassing 90%.
Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy commended the sector’s resilience, noting the record-breaking 14.91 million international tourists in 2023, the highest in Egypt’s tourism history. Speaking at the World Travel Market in London, Fathy expressed optimism about the future of Egypt’s tourism industry, underscoring the country’s evolving status as a premier global destination.