Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, today met Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Hajj and Umrah, at an expanded meeting organized by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities with a group of Egyptian travel companies specializing in organizing Hajj and Umrah trips, in the presence of Ambassador Saleh bin Eid Al-Hussaini, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador in Cairo.
The meeting came on the sidelines of the Saudi minister's current official visit to Egypt, aimed at discussing ways to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.
During the meeting, ways to enhance joint cooperation between the two sides on Hajj and Umrah were reviewed and discussed, in terms of the ongoing arrangements and preparations for Umrah during the holy month of Ramadan and for the upcoming tourism Hajj season, to ensure it is as successful as last season, in addition to discussing greater coordination to make the current Umrah season a success.
The meeting also discussed a number of visions, ideas and proposals aimed at developing and improving the experience of Umrah performers and tourism Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and raising the quality of the services provided to them, in a way that satisfies Umrah performers and pilgrims and keeps pace with the continuous developments in the Hajj and Umrah system.
The meeting included hearing the inquiries and observations of travel companies operating in this field and discussing some of the challenges they face in organizing Hajj and Umrah trips, and it was agreed to study a number of solutions that would help facilitate procedures and ensure discipline.
At the end of the meeting, the two sides agreed to form a joint committee between the Egyptian and Saudi ministries to follow up on what was agreed during the meeting and to continue discussing and implementing the visions and proposals put forward on the ground, in a way that supports joint cooperation and serves the interests of pilgrims and Umrah performers from the two brotherly countries.
The meeting was attended by the delegation accompanying the Saudi minister, which included a number of deputy ministers, leaders and officials from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. Taking part from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities were Eng. Mostafa Aly El-Din, Assistant Minister for the Minister's Office Affairs; Samia Samy, Assistant Minister for Travel Companies Affairs and Head of the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah; Rana Gohar, Adviser to the Minister for Communication and External Relations and General Supervisor of the General Department of International Relations and Agreements at the ministry; and a number of representatives of the Central Department of Travel Companies.
Also attending were Nasser Turky, Vice President of the Egyptian Tourism Federation, member of the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah and member of the Chamber of Travel and Tourism Companies and Agencies; Ahmed Ibrahim, head of the Chamber's Religious Tourism Committee; and a number of members of the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah.
