The meeting highlighted the momentum and strong growth
witnessed by Egypt’s tourism sector in recent months, as well as expectations
of increased tourist arrivals following the spectacular opening of the Grand
Egyptian Museum (GEM), a unique cultural and civilizational landmark housing
over 100,000 artifacts from Egypt’s ancient civilization, including the
complete collection of King Tutankhamun.
El-Etreby expressed his eagerness to work closely with JATA
and leading Japanese travel companies to increase the number of Japanese
tourists visiting Egypt and enjoying its diverse tourist destinations,
particularly in the cultural and historical tourism sectors. He noted that
EgyptAir has been operating two direct weekly flights between Cairo and Tokyo
since last October, with the possibility of adding a third flight at the
beginning of next year. He also highlighted ongoing developments in Egypt’s
infrastructure, including airports, roads, and transportation systems, as well
as continuous efforts to enhance tourist sites and destinations, including the
Giza Pyramids area and the comprehensive development plan stretching from
Sphinx Airport to Saqqara via the Pyramids zone.
Ikehata confirmed that many Japanese travel companies are
interested in expanding their tourism programs to Egypt, especially following
the impressive opening of GEM, which has captured the attention of Japanese
tourists fascinated by ancient Egyptian civilization. He emphasized the
importance of enhancing coordination and cooperation with the Egyptian embassy,
including mutual support for promotional activities organized by both parties.
He also expressed interest in Egypt’s participation in the next edition of the
Japan Tourism Expo, scheduled to be held in Tokyo in September 2026, which will
provide opportunities to strengthen collaboration and partnerships between
Egyptian and Japanese authorities, as well as private sector companies
operating in the tourism industry in both countries.