The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is officially participating for the first time in the Monaco Yacht Show, currently being held in the Principality of Monaco and regarded as the most important international event for the yachting industry worldwide.
At the start of his participation in the show, Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, met with Bernard d'Alessandri, Secretary General and Director of the Yacht Club de Monaco, and Jose Marco Casellini, Chairman of Monaco Marina Management, one of the world's largest companies operating in the yachting industry.
The meeting addressed the importance of the yacht tourism industry, particularly in light of the various activities associated with it, its role in driving supply chains for various industries and activities, and the substantial income it generates for countries.
For his part, Sherif Fathy stressed the importance of yacht tourism in Egypt, particularly in light of the great attention the President and the Egyptian state are paying to developing and promoting this tourism product, noting that Egypt is a destination that is growing and developing significantly in this field.
During the meeting, discussions covered Egypt's importance and strategic location, and the great potential that qualifies it to take off in the yacht tourism industry, whether on the Mediterranean or the Red Sea, and become an important hub for this industry. Views and proposals were also exchanged on ways and mechanisms to further develop this field in Egypt, including the importance of establishing yacht maintenance centers in cooperation with local and international companies, given yachts' constant need for maintenance work.
The minister also spoke about some of the new tourist areas in Egypt, including the North Coast and the city of Ras El Hekma and some of the projects underway there, pointing to the long tourist season the area enjoys and the great diversity and richness of the Egyptian tourism product.
The meeting also included discussions on the best areas for tourism investment, with emphasis on the potential of the Galala area to become a hub for yacht tourism thanks to its distinguished location. The minister invited them to visit Egypt at the earliest opportunity.
During the meeting, representatives of Monaco Marina Management reviewed the company's main activities and work, its proposals for joint cooperation in this field, and its expertise in consulting, evaluation, sustainability and yacht building, as a partner of the Yacht Club de Monaco with operations in a number of Arab countries. The two sides agreed to continue joint work and cooperation and to exchange expertise in developing the yachting and marina industry.
The minister also toured the Yacht Club de Monaco, viewing its various facilities and learning about the club's capabilities and long history, as it has been one of the largest and most prestigious yacht clubs in the world since its founding in the last century, with 2,500 members, and 8 of the world's 12 largest yachts are owned by club members.
The meeting was attended by Ambassador Amr El-Rashidy, Consul General of Egypt in Marseille; Rana Gohar, Advisor to the Minister for Communication and External Relations and General Supervisor of the General Department of International Relations and Agreements at the ministry; and Ahmed Nabil, Assistant Minister for Aviation and Follow-up.
