(PHOTO / AFP / KHALED DESOUKI)
The Ministry of Tourism is working to support the success of several activities and touristic festivals which aim to bring tourists back to the country and send a message that Egypt is safe to visit, according to Minister of Tourism Hisham Zaazou.
The minister added this will a positive effect on tourism in Egypt, supporting relations between countries and people and contributing to cultural exchange. Such events garner considerable press coverage, he said, which can be used to send a clear message of the country’s stability.
The comments came during a press conference on the Luxor Film Festival for Egyptian and European films, which was also attended by Luxor governor Tarek Saadeddin, a representative of the European Union, novelist Bahaa Taher, Rasha Al-Azaizi, media consultant to Zaazou, president of the festival Magda Wasef and president of the Noun foundation Mohamed El-Kaliouby.
Zaazou said tourism was the most affected sector during the aftermath of both revolutions and the subsequent transitional periods, and indicated that Luxor and Aswan were the most affected cities, with occupancy dropping to 2% last September.
Zaazou said the film festival represented “a good chance for dialogue and exchange, especially because in its second edition, the festival involves 19 countries: Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Serbia, Finland, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Holland, Ireland, England, Romania, Belgium, Czech Republic, Russia and Macedonia.”
He said that the ministry’s efforts to support Luxor were ongoing and that the city was “unique in the world,” adding the ministry would spare no expense as it coordinates with the Ministry of Aviation to support direct flights and charter planes to Luxor in an effort to revive tourism in the city.
A representative of the EU in Egypt said that the festival represents cultural capital and connects people, adding that the EU appreciates the democratic transition period Egypt is going through.
Governor of Luxor Tarek Saadeddin said Luxor appreciates the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism, adding that the city is attempting to create new kinds of tourism in addition to cultural tourism, and that his governorate was cooperating with the ministry to support other events to this end.
Translated from Al-Borsa Newspaper
