Cairo: Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy engaged in a strategic meeting with the chairman of the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) and his deputy to explore ways to enhance cooperation within the tourism sector.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the meeting was also attended by representatives from 10 major tourism companies active in the Japanese market, such as HIS, JTP, Hanku International, and Bertra. During the meeting, Minister Fathy elaborated on the ministry’s strategy to highlight the variety of Egyptian tourism offerings. He mentioned that upcoming promotional campaigns will be introduced under the banner “Unmatched Diversity.”

In addition, Fathy emphasized the government’s ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure, including roads and airports, to facilitate easier movement for tourists across different destinations in Egypt. He also pointed out the country’s plans to expand hotel capacity, with an expected addition of nearly 30,000 new hotel rooms within the year.

The JATA chairman praised the launch of the “Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs” exhibition in Tokyo, which underscores the Japanese public’s deep interest in ancient Egyptian civilization. He extended an invitation to the tourism minister to attend the Tourism EXPO Japan in September to further promote Egypt’s tourist destinations.

Representatives from the Japanese tourism companies expressed their desire to increase the number of weekly flights between Egypt and Japan to three and to introduce direct flights to key cities such as Luxor, Aswan, and Cairo. They also underscored the importance of intensifying promotional efforts in Japan, particularly focusing on the Grand Egyptian Museum. Additionally, they suggested organizing familiarization trips for Japanese media professionals and influencers to bolster interest in Egyptian tourist sites.