Tokyo:Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy engaged in a series of professional and media meetings in Tokyo with Japanese tour operators, tourism companies, and major media outlets during his participation in Tourism Expo Japan 2026.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the discussions aimed to strengthen cooperation in promoting Egypt as a tourist destination, developing new tourism programs tailored specifically for Japanese travelers, and attracting more visitors from Japan. The meetings also covered organizing familiarization trips for Japanese tourism companies and increasing direct flights between Egypt and Japan to meet the growing demand.
Fathy highlighted Egypt's diverse tourism offerings, such as cultural, beach, leisure, and desert tourism, noting that visitors typically stay for about 10 days, which allows for combined tourism programs. He discussed using modern technology and artificial intelligence for tourism promotion, infrastructure improvements, and efforts to attract investments in the hotel sector.
Japanese tour operators acknowledged Egypt's importance as a destination for the Japanese market, citing stable visitor numbers this year despite regional developments. They showed interest in new tourism products, especially those targeting younger travelers and combining different Egyptian destinations. There is a growing demand for visits to the Grand Egyptian Museum and programs that combine Alexandria with Luxor and Aswan. Additionally, interest is increasing in viewing next year's total solar eclipse from Luxor.
Fathy mentioned that Egypt is exploring the development of tourism programs around the solar eclipse event, including combining visits to the North Coast with eclipse viewing in Siwa. Japanese representatives also noted that the 2025 'Ramesses and the Gold of the Pharaohs' exhibition in Tokyo played a significant role in promoting Egypt and increasing interest in visiting the country, underscoring the strong Japanese fascination with ancient Egyptian civilization.