During his visit to Valletta for the World Travel & Tourism Council’s 26th Global Summit, Egypt’s Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy met Malta’s Tourism Minister Dr. Jo Etienne Abela to discuss closer tourism cooperation and increased visitor flows between the two countries.
Fathy outlined the ministry’s current strategy for promoting Egypt as a tourism destination. He highlighted the country’s diverse tourism products and experiences, the opportunity to combine several experiences in a single trip, and the ease of moving between different tourism offerings within a short time.
The minister said inbound tourism to Egypt grew by 21% last year and increased by 4% during the current year through September.
Malta’s tourism minister reviewed developments in his country’s tourism sector, noting that Malta welcomed approximately five million tourists last year. He also highlighted ongoing efforts to introduce direct flights between Cairo and Malta through Air Malta.
The two sides agreed to strengthen coordination between their private sectors to develop joint tourism programmes for visitors from long-haul markets such as the United States and Australia. They also discussed possible Mediterranean cruise itineraries including both Egypt and Malta.
The meeting examined cooperation in training and the possibility of drawing on Egyptian hospitality expertise and professionals to work in Malta, supporting knowledge exchange and closer collaboration.
The ministers also discussed a possible temporary exhibition of Egyptian antiquities in Malta to promote Egypt’s tourism offering, showcase its cultural and archaeological assets, and strengthen cultural and tourism cooperation between the countries.
