During his current visit to Paris to take part in IFTM Top Resa 2026, Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy held a series of professional meetings with tour operators and representatives of airlines operating in the French market, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation and drive more tourist traffic from France to Egypt.
The meetings discussed ways to step up the promotion of Egypt's diverse tourism products and experiences and to run joint promotional campaigns in the French market.
Fathy stressed the importance of the French market as one of the main source markets for tourism to Egypt, pointing to promising opportunities to increase the number of French tourists by strengthening cooperation with tour operators and airlines and developing tourism programs that suit the interests and aspirations of French travelers.
Fathy outlined the ministry's strategy for promoting Egypt as a destination and its plans to promote tourism programs that combine several products and experiences in a single trip, encouraging tourists to extend their stay in Egypt. He stressed that Egypt offers unrivaled tourism diversity, along with an authentic and distinctive tourism experience.
The minister also spoke about a number of new and promising destinations in Egypt, led by New Alamein City, noting its growing tourist traffic and a 35% rise in charter flights to Alamein International Airport compared with last year. He also highlighted the tourism assets of Matrouh Governorate and Siwa Oasis and the possibility of combining them in integrated tourism programs.
He also discussed the development of Egypt's road network, which makes it easier for tourists to travel between destinations, and the importance of Sphinx International Airport in supporting tourist traffic given its proximity to the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, noting the possibility of linking it with Alamein International Airport through programs that combine Cairo and the North Coast, as well as the North Coast and Siwa Oasis.
For their part, airline representatives and tour operators said Egypt has become an important destination for them and that there is notable growth in demand for Egypt from the French market. They noted that French tourists who had previously visited Egypt have returned since the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum to see its archaeological treasures, which highlight the greatness and richness of ancient Egyptian civilization.
Airline representatives also noted the launch of flights to several Egyptian destinations, including Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh, as well as flights to Sphinx International Airport from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and from a number of French cities, including Nice, with preparations under way to operate flights from Nantes and Lyon to Luxor in the coming period.
Tour operators pointed to rising demand for Nile cruises and destinations such as Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh, as well as an increase in programs combining several tourism products and experiences, in light of growing demand for them, especially following the meetings they held with the minister during his visit to France in June.
