Tourism minister invites French tourists to visit Egypt

Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Essa, described Friday the tourism industry as one of the most important industries in Egypt.

“Tourism employs about 1 million Egyptians,” the minister said.

“It is a very important source of national income,” he added,

The minister’s remarks came during a seminar organized by the Centre for Middle East Studies in Paris.

Called ‘Egypt … Dawn of Conscience’, the seminar is held at the ancient French Le Creon hotel, which overlooks an ancient Egyptian obelisk, the seminar is organized on the margins of the opening of the Ramses II Exhibition at the Grand Halle de la Villette. The exhibition will last for five months.

Attending the event is a host of dignitaries, including Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Essa, leading Egyptologist, Zahi Hawass, and Egypt’s Ambassador to France, Alaa Youssef.

A host of chief editors of French newspapers attend the seminar, along with several French MPs, senior politicians and Egyptologists.

The minister said the volume of trade between Egypt and France is about $9 billion.

“Around $4 billion will go to Egypt soon,” the minister said.

He expected around 400,000 French tourists to visit Egypt this year.

This, the minister said, is a good number of tourists.

Nevertheless, the minister noted that this number was still below expectations, given the fact that around 15 million tourists are expected to visit Egypt this year.

“I hope there will be an increase in the number of French tourists,” Minister Essa said.

He referred to the presence of tour guides who are proficient in French in Egypt.

“We hope there will be a larger movement of French tourists to Egypt,” the minister added.