The Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority hosted a delegation of representatives of 14 leading companies specializing in luxury tourism and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism in the Russian market on a familiarization trip to Cairo and New Alamein, in cooperation with Royal Manta Travel, the exclusive representative in Egypt of the international travel industry association GlobalStar.
Dr. Ahmed Youssef, CEO of the authority, said hosting the trip is part of implementing the ministry's strategy to diversify the tourism products and experiences of the Egyptian destination and promote them in international markets, while highlighting new and promising destinations, helping to diversify tourism demand and attract new segments of tourists, especially high spenders.
He noted that the authority is stepping up promotion of the Egyptian destination in the Russian market, one of the most important source markets for tourism to Egypt, especially given its growing demand for travel to Egypt. This includes expanding promotion of diverse tourism products and types, including luxury and MICE tourism, and highlighting the assets of promising destinations, led by New Alamein and the North Coast.
He added that strengthening direct air links between New Alamein and Moscow opens new horizons for tour operators to develop programs combining Cairo, New Alamein and other Egyptian destinations, allowing tourists to enjoy more than one tourism product and experience on a single trip.
The fam trip program included visits to the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, as well as a number of hotels in New Alamein, to get a close look at the tourism assets, services and experiences these destinations offer.
The delegation took part in a workshop organized by Royal Manta Travel to strengthen direct professional contacts between representatives of Egypt's tourism sector and their counterparts in the Russian market, and to explore opportunities for cooperation and new programs aimed at luxury and MICE travelers.
The workshop featured presentations and discussions on demand trends in the Russian market and cooperation opportunities in luxury and MICE tourism. Representatives of Egyptian hotels also presented the facilities available for hosting conferences, events and incentive programs, as well as the diversity of Egypt's tourism assets, which allows several tourism products and experiences to be combined in a single program.
During the workshop, Mohamed Ali presented a number of destinations, products and tourism experiences with promising potential for greater promotion in the Russian market, as well as developments in Egypt's tourism sector and the state's efforts to develop tourism infrastructure, increase hotel capacity, improve the tourist experience and diversify the tourism products and experiences on offer.
The workshop also included extensive discussions with representatives of the Russian companies on ways to strengthen cooperation in the coming period and develop new luxury and MICE programs, helping to attract diverse segments of Russian tourists and opening new horizons for promoting Egyptian destinations, products and tourism experiences in the Russian market.
The workshop was attended by representatives of Egyptian tour companies and hotels, along with the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority delegation, which included Nermine Hanafy, Director General of Tourism Relations; Mohamed Ali Abdel Latif, member of the CEO's technical office and officer for the Russia and CIS markets at the Foreign Offices Department; Mahmoud Karim, member of the Asia and Pacific Markets Unit at the Foreign Offices Department; and Salem Soliman, member of the General Administration of Tourism Relations.
