Dr Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s new tourism minister, is determined to highlight the country’s attractiveness as a diverse, dynamic and safe nation to visit.

Dr Al-Mashat recently met with leading figures from tour operators, travel agents and airlines at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) which ran from April 22-25 in Dubai.

The minister, who took up her role in January, said: “Egypt wants to show the world that it is a tourist destination like no other and now is the time for travellers to visit the country as we build on a strong performance in 2017, both in terms of visitor numbers and revenue.”

Dr Al-Mashat aims to highlight Egypt’s efforts to build partnerships with the travel trade in the GCC and promote the country’s commitment to a safe, secure and enjoyable destination for tourists.

Arab tourism represents around 30 per cent of total tourists to Egypt with the lion share being from the GCC, and the future outlook is positive according to the minister, with the first quarter this year witnessing a steep increase in tourist numbers.

Al-Mashat said: “Egypt has always enjoyed long-standing and unbreakable ties with the rest of the Arab nations and we aim to enhance further that historical relationship.

“We have taken and continue to take the necessary steps to make Egypt a destination where visitors are safe and secure and where businesses can operate with confidence. The future looks positive but we will not be complacent. We have committed to build a resilient foundation which will ensure a sustainable future for Egyptian tourism.” - TradeArabia News Service