Global Courant
The Committee on Tourism of the Egyptian Businessmen Association held a public symposium with Japanese Ambassador to Cairo Oka Hiroshi to discuss the development of economic relations between Egypt and Japan and to increase the flow of Japanese tourists after the opening of the direct airline between Cairo and Tokyo.
Joint cooperation between Egypt and Japan is important for the progress of the industrial sector, said Secretary General and Chairman of the Association’s Industrial and Scientific Research Committee Magd Eddin al-Manzalawy.
He added that it will also boost the transfer and localization of advanced technologies in manufacturing and research and development to Egypt.
Egypt has many joint investment opportunities in free investment zones, especially the Suez Canal Economic Zone, which will serve to attract Japanese capital and investment.
Following interest in attracting more inbound air traffic and developing economic and trade ties with Japan, EgyptAir will begin operating a direct flight between Cairo and Tokyo from September 28, said Amr Adawy, head of commercial sector at EgyptAir.
EgyptAir has recently launched a number of new routes in Asia, Europe and North America, including the route to New Delhi in August, Adawy added, with the company aiming to double the number of flights and destinations in Japan by October.
Stimulating tourism
The Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority is making great efforts to promote Egyptian tourist destinations in Japan, said Mohamed Salama, head of the Central Administration of the Domestic and Foreign Tourism Bureaus of the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority.
Salama pointed out that famous Egyptologist Zahi Hawass’ international tour to Japan and other countries will help promote tourism.
The number of Japanese tourists in Egypt in 2010 was estimated at 100,000 tourists, he explained, and with the reopening of EgyptAir’s direct flight line and the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, this number is expected to rise even further.
This was announced by the vice-chairman of the association’s Tourism and Civil Aviation Committee, Mohamed Montaser Egypt is targeting 30 million tourists by 2030, and that tourist traffic has returned in good numbers, with a target of 15 million tourists this year.
Montaser explained that in order to accommodate the target number of tourists, Egypt must double the number of hotel rooms to reach 50,000 rooms per year over the next four years.
This provides an opportunity for joint cooperation and attracting foreign investment in the hotel sector and in the tourism transportation sector, he added.
