Dr. Nader El-Beblawy, Chairman of the Chamber of Tourism Companies, stressed that the entire tourism sector is following around the clock developments in foreign markets regarding tourist flows to Egyptian destinations in light of the rapid developments in the region, explaining that there is excellent and continuous coordination between all tourism sectors, from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Tourism Promotion Authority to the Federation and tourist chambers, along with representatives of investment associations and tourism investors, noting that everyone shares a single main goal: to clarify the reality of the situation in Egypt and the safety and security it enjoys despite the events around it.
El-Beblawy explained, on the sidelines of his participation in the Egyptian delegation at the world's leading travel trade show ITB 2026 in the German capital Berlin, that the Chamber's participation in ITB Berlin this year comes at an extremely important time, given developments in the region, which calls for intensifying direct professional meetings with major tour operators and international travel agents.
The head of the Chamber of Tourism Companies said: "We expect some booking cancellations, not only for Egypt but for all countries in the region, with most of these cancellations from the US market given its general sensitivity, especially in such circumstances. These expectations also come after the warning issued by the US State Department."
He added that these cancellations are expected and normal in such circumstances, and the most important thing is that they do not extend to large groups and become a phenomenon, which everyone is working to avoid, along with avoiding any substantial effects on travel programs to Egypt, noting that foreign partners' enquiries are focused on information rather than being strong indicators of decline.
He pointed to direct communication with our partners abroad to present the true picture of the situation in the Egyptian destination and confirm the regularity of tourist traffic and the stability of the various destinations.
He noted that the Chamber of Tourism Companies works in full coordination with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority to unify the marketing and media messages directed at markets, preserving the trust the Egyptian destination enjoys, pointing to the important meeting held by the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities with the leaders of the Egyptian tourism sector at the Authority's pavilion on the sidelines of Egypt's participation in ITB Berlin, stressing that the importance of the meeting lies in the discussions held and the agreement on collective action to avoid the negative effects of the current crisis on Egyptian tourism.
The head of the Chamber added that the meeting carried a single message, a message of reassurance that there are no risks in Egypt, and an agreement to deal calmly with the current situation without rushing into anything.
Regarding turnout at the Egyptian pavilion at ITB Berlin, El-Beblawy stressed that the Egyptian pavilion has two main parts: the first is an exhibition of archaeological and folkloric replicas, which saw very high turnout, especially from the general public visiting the fair, and the second is professional, with tour operators and foreign companies, which saw turnout but less than last season, perhaps due to events in the region.
He explained that the Chamber is following operating rates daily, while studying any proactive moves that could help maintain the growth achieved since the start of this year. He stressed that Egyptian travel companies have great experience in managing exceptional situations, noting that the sector has faced more complex challenges before and we were able to maintain our business and strengthen our international partnerships. The Egyptian market has always proven its ability to recover quickly.
He said: "Our message is clear: the Egyptian destination is operating at full capacity, travel companies are committed to providing their services according to the highest standards of professionalism, and we have great confidence in continued positive performance in the coming period."
