By Akram Medhat
Lt. Gen. Younis Al-Masry, Minister of Civil Aviation, received Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Tourism, today to discuss several joint files, most importantly the results of the 2018/2020 aviation incentive program, which has been applied since last November.
During the meeting, the two ministers reviewed the program's initial indicators, which confirm its positive impact on raising tourist traffic rates, as 1,374 flights were operated carrying 250,000 passengers during the first 3 weeks of the program's implementation. The two sides also discussed aspects of joint cooperation between the aviation and tourism sectors and the continuous efforts to encourage inbound traffic to Egypt.
Lt. Gen. Younis Al-Masry expressed his appreciation to Minister Dr. Rania Al-Mashat for her full support for the aviation incentive program, which is carried out under her supervision, and for the fruitful cooperation and joint efforts between the ministries of aviation and tourism, as serious and effective measures were taken to turn the aviation incentive programs into a practical reality, achieving very good figures in light of the Egyptian government's priority of restoring inbound tourist traffic.
For her part, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat stressed the existing cooperation between the technical bodies of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, represented by the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority, EgyptAir and the Egyptian Airports Company, and the Ministry of Tourism's working team to support the aviation incentive program, noting that the results have been promising and are largely achieving their intended goals. She praised the decision to start operating EgyptAir domestic flights to and from Sphinx International Airport to Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada, Luxor and Aswan during the current month of January, which coincides with the mid-year school holiday. The airport's location also helps encourage day trips, given its proximity to tourist and archaeological areas.
