Speaking at a press conference organized by the federation at the Mena House hotel in the Giza Pyramids area, Talaat said that successfully attracting international golf players to major tournaments would boost tourism revenue, especially given Egypt's "civilization, history, and distinct tourist areas."
He acknowledged that despite Egypt possessing the three
oldest golf courses in the Middle East and Africa, some countries have
"surpassed them in this field." However, he added, they now have the
opportunity to "return and achieve leadership" to establish Egypt as
a premier golf tourism destination.
The press conference was held to announce new international
tournaments scheduled for the coming weeks and was attended by numerous
representatives of local and regional media outlets and newspapers.
The conference was attended by Omar Hisham, President of the
Egyptian Golf Federation, Dr. Ashraf El-Begarmy, Head of the Sports Sector at
the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Kim Kodwa, Director of the Asian Golf Tour, Zakaria
Yehia Zakaria, General Manager of Bahgat Group – Dreamland, Ali Mohamed, Manager
of the New Giza Golf Club, and Josh Roach Representative of the Talaat Moustafa
Group for Golf.
Hisham added that the Egyptian Golf Federation utilized a
specialized international company, which develops strategies and plans for
countries in various sports, to prepare a four-year plan for the Federation.
The most prominent points in this plan included hosting major international
tournaments to market Egypt globally, capitalizing on Egypt's civilization,
excellent hotels, diverse tourist areas, and sports infrastructure. In this
context, he noted that Egypt has the oldest golf course in the Middle East and
Africa at Gezira Sporting Club, the second oldest in Alexandria, and the third
oldest at the Mena House Hotel.
He praised the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports,
led by Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, for the Egyptian Golf Federation in organizing
world-class tournaments and leveraging Egyptian civilization and infrastructure
to establish Egypt as a global destination for golf.
Regarding the importance of hosting international tournaments in Egypt, Omar Hisham stated that organizing and hosting these events contributes to preparing professional Egyptian players to participate in major world tournaments by interacting with the world's top-ranked players, thereby developing their skill level and improving their international ranking. He announced the organization of major international tournaments next year to open opportunities for local players to improve their game and better their level for participation in the Olympics.
Concerning the growth of the golf player base, the President
of the Egyptian Golf Federation said that the Federation is working on
expanding the base of golf practitioners, and a significant number of people
have already started playing the sport.
The Egyptian Golf Federation, headed by Omar Hisham, announced
the organization of four major international tournaments in the coming weeks.
These are, in order:
The 104th Egyptian Open Amateur Championship for Men at
Dreamland Golf Club. This year, it will be joined for the first time by the Egyptian
Senior Open, uniting generations of golf players.
The Egyptian Open Championships for Juniors and Women
Amateurs at New Giza Golf Club.
The revival of the Egyptian Open, which was first played in
1921. This tournament is considered one of the most prestigious professional
championships outside the European continent and is returning after a hiatus of
more than 15 years. It will be hosted at the Madinaty Golf Club.
The launch of an entirely new international tournament as part of the Asian Tour. This event will attract international players to Egypt and solidify the country's position as a leading golf destination.