Minister of Tourism and Antiquities: The event is an opportunity to strengthen ties with American tour operators, travel companies and decision-makers
Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced that Egypt has won the right to host the annual board meeting of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) for 2027. The association's board unanimously approved choosing Egypt to host the meeting, scheduled for April 2027 outside the United States, to be held in Cairo.
The selection follows the bid submitted by Egypt, represented by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, to host the meeting, and discussions on the matter between Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy and USTOA President and CEO Terry Dale, most recently in New York during the minister's visit in May.
Sherif Fathy welcomed Egypt's success in winning the right to host the meeting, saying it reflects the confidence of international institutions in Egypt as a destination and its international standing and recognition as one of the world's most important tourist destinations.
He explained that hosting the meeting is an important opportunity to strengthen ties with American tour operators, travel companies and decision-makers, and to open wider horizons for cooperation that will help increase tourist arrivals to Egypt from the US market, one of the important markets for Egyptian tourism.
He noted that the number of American tourists visiting Egypt grew by 2% in the first half of this year compared with the same period last year.
In a related context, Dr. Ahmed Youssef, CEO of the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority, highlighted the importance of Egypt hosting the meeting as an opportunity to promote Egypt in the US market and showcase its diverse tourism assets, products and experiences catering to the interests and tastes of different segments of tourists.
He stressed the ministry's commitment to continuously participating in USTOA events and attending its annual conference, held in the United States every December, as an opportunity to raise awareness of Egypt as a destination and its diverse tourism products and experiences.
He added that under this selection, the authority will organize the meeting and host the association's delegation, providing all the facilities and arrangements needed to ensure the event befits Egypt's standing and reflects its ability to organize and host major international events and conferences.
The authority will also organize a tour program for participants to visit a number of tourist and archaeological sites in Egypt, giving them the opportunity to discover new destinations and experiences in Egypt, particularly non-traditional ones that reflect the diversity and richness of Egypt as a destination.
The meeting is expected to see wide attendance from senior USTOA members and decision-makers in the US tourism industry, and its agenda includes a series of face-to-face business meetings between association members and representatives of Egyptian travel companies and travel agents, opening new horizons for cooperation and partnerships and helping boost tourist arrivals from the US market to Egypt.
The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) is one of the most important professional tourism organizations in the United States, bringing together leading American tour operators and travel companies. It is also a platform for communication among the various players in the tourism industry, helping to strengthen professional relations and build partnerships with tourism industry leaders around the world. The number of travelers who travel with the association's members is estimated at around 9.8 million a year.
