The meeting, held at the government headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, focused on facilitating entry procedures for international tourists ahead of the expected surge following the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).
"With the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, we
anticipate a rise in tourist numbers. Therefore, all airports and ports must be
prepared to offer greater ease for entry procedures, especially for tourist
groups," Madbouly stated at the start of the session.
Madbouly directed that all of Egypt's international airports
be fully equipped by 2026 to process tourist entry exclusively through the
e-visa system and emergency visas.
The Prime Minister underscored the government's commitment
to the tourism sector, describing it as a vital pillar of the national economy
and a rapid source of foreign currency. "We aim to introduce more
facilitations to improve the tourist experience in Egypt, ensuring smooth entry
and exit procedures across all ports," he added.
Cabinet Spokesman Mohamed El-Homossany confirmed that the
meeting reviewed the progress of the integrated e-visa system project.
Discussions also covered efforts by various agencies to upgrade infrastructure
at airports and ports to support the electronic granting of visas, ensuring a
rapid processing time for all tourists.
Attendees included the Ministers of Communications and IT, Tourism and Antiquities, along with representatives from the Ministries of Finance and Interior, and officials from airport and technology firms.