On Monday, the Egyptian President, Abdelfattah Al-Sisi, along with Minister of Tourism, Rania Al-Mashat, met with the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Zurab Pololikashvili, who came bearing good news.
According to the Presidency Spokesperson, Bassam Rady, Pololikashvili presented Al-Sisi with the organization’s shield in recognition of his continuous support to the tourism sector. Also for the launching of Egypt’s newest tourism reform program, which aims to achieve the goals of sustainable development by the year 2030.
The Secretary-General had also praised Egypt’s quest for tourism sustainability and for consolidating it as a concept among the Egyptian people. The meeting has also witnessed a number of discussions on the methods that could be of help in realizing Egypt’s youth entrepreneurship potential in the field of tourism. The three officials discussed the many ways Egypt could empower and support its growing generation of tourism entrepreneurs.
Throughout the meeting, the Egyptian President stressed on a number of tourism-related topics. He highlighted the effort the country has taken to revive the tourism sector through institutional reform, as well as setting programs for the training and qualification of tourism workers. Furthermore, Al-Sisi expressed Egypt’s keenness to work together with the UNWTO to promote tourism in Egypt.
Pololikashvili got to review a number of ongoing tourism projects, including the landmarks in new urban communities such as the Middle East’s largest Cathedral, and Al-Fattah Al-Alim mosque in the New Administrative Capital. Of course, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization were mentioned as major contributors to the Egyptian historical heritage as well as culture.
The Secretary-General of UNWTO expressed his wish that his organization would continue collaborating with Egypt as one of its founding countries, noting that Egypt’s reform programs and willingness to promote competitiveness are successful models that UNWTO is going to make available to other member states struggling with tourism.
After all had been said and done, Pololikashvili seemed hopeful of the tourism sector in Egypt, stating that soon Egypt is to return to its deserved tourism position internationally.
