By Akram Medhat
Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly opened the Regional Forum on Technological Innovation in Tourism, held on the sidelines of Egypt's hosting, represented by the Ministry of Tourism, of the 45th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Middle East, in the presence of Minister of Tourism Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, Minister of Environment Dr. Yasmine Fouad and Minister of Investment Dr. Sahar Nasr.
In his speech, the Prime Minister praised the role of the UNWTO and its Middle East Commission in supporting tourism in Arab countries, as well as in strengthening the role of tourism in community development, and its efforts to promote sustainable tourism development policies.
The Prime Minister stressed the importance of tourism in supporting countries' economies, as it is one of the sectors that support the national economy since it touches the lives of millions of Egyptians, explaining that preserving our natural and cultural heritage and biodiversity is a national goal to which all the state's capabilities are devoted.
Madbouly referred to the structural reform program for developing Egypt's tourism sector launched by the Ministry of Tourism with the aim of achieving sustainable tourism development, in line with the goals adopted by the United Nations, stressing that it enjoys strong support from the government because structural reform is the main pillar for achieving the sustainable development that Egypt seeks at all levels in line with the Vision 2030 strategy. Tourism is also the fastest-growing sector and one of the most important service exports.
The Prime Minister explained that all state bodies are cooperating to ensure a unique tourism experience for tourists in Egypt, by focusing on upgrading the infrastructure covered by national projects, including road and bridge networks, among them the development and expansion of the metro network and the extension of new lines linking various areas to the capital.
The Prime Minister noted that the indicators of progress in Egyptian tourism reflect steady steps on the right track, confirming that tourists' confidence in Egypt as a tourist destination has been restored, and praised the role of the private sector, including businesspeople, investors, tour operators and airlines, in making the tourism system a success.
The Prime Minister also touched on the Grand Egyptian Museum, which will be the largest and most important museum in the world given the huge number of rare artifacts and archaeological treasures it contains, and which will be an important pillar of cultural tourism in Egypt when it is completed next year.
He referred to the existing partnership with the UNWTO in many areas, among them this conference with its important sessions focusing on innovative solutions for the tourism sector, especially the competition among startups and entrepreneurs in Egypt and the Middle East organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism for the first time to select modern projects and electronic applications to promote tourism in Egypt.
He added that the competition aims to shed light on Egypt's landmarks and tourist sites and to promote Egyptian tourism in a new and innovative way, and reflects the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism's interest in keeping pace with the latest global technological means of tourism promotion, its adoption of more modern and contemporary trends, its interest in young entrepreneurs, and its support for innovation and digital transformation.
For her part, Minister of Tourism Dr. Rania Al-Mashat delivered the opening speech of the forum, which she began by welcoming the attendees and all participants in the forum, expressing her great pleasure at Egypt hosting this important forum, which is an opportunity that brings together those in charge of the tourism sector, academics, and local and international institutions.
In her speech, the Minister of Tourism stressed the ministry's interest in holding this forum given the importance of digital solutions, which have become a pressing necessity for achieving a sustainable tourism sector, and in line with the Egyptian government's move to set a digital transformation strategy that includes several pillars, among them creating an environment attractive to creativity and technological investment, developing human capabilities, deepening specialized technological industries, transforming into a digital society, and creativity and entrepreneurship.
The Minister explained that the forum includes two sessions. The first is on various digital solutions, starting with mobile applications that help deliver a successful tourism experience and a sustainable tourism sector, and which can be used to shed light on hidden gems in tourist destinations and to offer cashless payment, noting that these innovative ideas enrich the tourist's experience in Egypt.
She added that the second session will shed light on innovative solutions in the region, as these solutions reflect how technology can be used to raise awareness of all the potential available to the tourism sector while ensuring the positive impact of tourism on society and the environment. During the session, speakers will review the ability of innovative solutions to achieve local community development while preserving the environment and heritage, which contributes to sustainable tourism development.
The Minister referred to the ministry's organization of the first competition of its kind in this field, as the ministry, in cooperation with the Rise Up entrepreneurship platform, opened applications for the competition last February 20. A total of 104 contestants applied, and in cooperation with the UNWTO, 9 local contestants and 3 at the regional level were selected. The selected contestants will present their innovative ideas for developing the tourism industry and promoting Egyptian tourism in new ways.
The Minister stressed that the competition stems from the ministry's belief in the importance of keeping pace with modern global trends in the tourism industry, which is the fifth pillar of the structural reform program launched by the ministry, explaining that among the most important goals of this pillar are promoting Egypt as a destination that cares about the environment and sustainable development, and encouraging innovation and digital solutions by involving young people to enhance the competitiveness of the tourism sector.
In his speech, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili referred to the important meeting held this morning with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, considering the meeting a blessing for the organization's work in Egypt.
He expressed his pleasure at Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly's support for the event, stressing that it would be a successful and fruitful day, especially with the participation of speakers from all over the world.
The organization's Secretary-General added that the technological innovation forum being held today in Cairo for the Middle East region is the first innovation forum in the world.
He noted that the organization looks forward to attending the opening of the world's most important museum, the Grand Egyptian Museum, stressing that it is a great honor for the organization to take part in this historic moment.
He noted that the Egyptian people are known for their generosity and hospitality, pointing to the success of the meeting in Egypt for the second year in a row, especially given the new ideas and projects it has produced.
