The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is expanding programs dedicated to the desert tourism product, as a number of new desert sites that tourists can visit have been added, in addition to the launch of distinctive tourism activities and experiences, helping to attract a wider segment of visitors, especially adventure and nature lovers, and enabling them to explore different and diverse destinations within Egypt.
For her part, Samia Samy, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Tourism Companies Affairs, stated that the ministry, in coordination with the authorities concerned with this file, succeeded in significantly expanding the programs of this tourism product during the first half of this year. Al-Jara Cave, considered one of the most prominent and beautiful landmarks of the Western Desert, and Umm El-Sogheir Oasis were added to desert tourism trip programs in response to requests from tourism companies. In addition, day trips to Siwa Oasis and its affiliated areas of Tabaghbagh, El Areg and Bir Wahed were resumed after a period of suspension, to meet growing demand from tourists coming from the North Coast on charter flights.
She added that new activities offering tourists a distinctive and unique experience were also introduced, including camel trekking, paramotoring in the White Desert, bird watching and observation, and organized walking and running trips amid the unique desert nature.
She explained that the number of tourism companies that carried out desert tourism trips reached 80 during the first half of this year, organizing 300 trips for 20,000 tourists of various nationalities.
The ministry continues its support for strengthening this promising tourism product, especially given Egypt's diverse natural assets that make it unique in this product, notably through its keenness to ensure the quality of tourism services provided at all sites included in desert tourism trip programs, ensuring the security and safety of these trips in cooperation with the competent authorities, which encourages more companies and tourists to embark on this unique experience.
The ministry also examines and studies all requests from tourism companies operating desert tourism trips, and coordinates continuously with the relevant authorities to promote this type of tourism and remove any obstacles companies may face, ensuring the sustainability of this tourism pattern and maximizing its benefit in supporting the national economy and diversifying tourism patterns.
This comes as part of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' strategy to highlight the diversity of tourism products and patterns that distinguish Egypt as a tourist destination, especially non-traditional ones, which are attracting growing demand from tourists from all over the world, including desert tourism.
