By Akram Medhat
Dr. Adla Ragab, Deputy Minister of Tourism, met a Chinese media delegation that included a representative of the All-China Journalists Association and representatives of major Chinese newspapers and TV channels. The meeting reviewed a number of important topics and themes concerning Egyptian tourism and mechanisms to support tourism cooperation between Egypt and China, and stressed the importance of Chinese tourism to Egypt and the Chinese passion for ancient Egyptian civilization.
Ragab explained that there has been a steady increase in the number of Chinese tourists arriving in Egypt this year, surpassing the peak year of 2010, which is the best evidence of an improved image of Egypt among Chinese tourists.
The deputy minister of tourism attributed the marked rise in Chinese tourist arrivals and the surge seen since the beginning of last year to the presence of direct charter flights from China to Luxor and Cairo, alongside EgyptAir's regular weekly flights from 3 Chinese cities, expressing her hope to increase Egypt's share of global Chinese tourism, which amounts to 90 million tourists annually.
She pointed out that Chinese tourists' opinions are being followed up through the Ministry of Tourism's sub-accounts unit at exit points, to learn about and survey their views on their visit to Egypt and their expectations and impressions of the services provided to them, and to benefit from this in promoting and marketing the Egyptian destination, in directing tourism programs and in developing the services offered to them.
During the meeting, ideas were also exchanged that would increase tourist traffic from the Chinese market, including the delegation's proposal that the EgyptAir magazine include material written in Chinese about Egyptian tourism and a translated map of Egypt, with the Chinese side helping to write this material, which would amount to a cultural and tourism exchange at the same time. For her part, the deputy minister of tourism affirmed that she would write to EgyptAir to study activating this proposal on its China routes.
The importance of organizing periodic familiarization trips (fam trips) for a number of Chinese journalists to visit Egypt was also discussed, which would have a positive impact and resonance in conveying the true picture through their writings and articles to be published abroad.
For their part, the Chinese press delegation expressed their pleasure at visiting Egypt and at this meeting, and affirmed that they would convey and explain to the Chinese people what they saw for themselves in Egypt during this visit, reflecting the stability of the situation and having a positive impact on boosting Chinese tourism to Egypt.
It is worth noting that the Chinese delegation is visiting Egypt from December 5 to 9 this month, and a tourism program is scheduled for the delegation to visit archaeological and tourist sites in Cairo and Giza, including the Pyramids area, the Sphinx, the Sound and Light show, Khan El-Khalili and the Egyptian Museum.
