Al-Mashat: Tourism Key Industry for Economies of Egypt, Bulgaria

Tourism Minister Rania Al-Mashat said on Sunday tourism is a key industry for the economies of Egypt and Bulgaria, hailing the great role played by the Foreign Ministry in promoting Egyptian tourism abroad.

Al-Mashat's remarks came on Sunday during a forum titled "Egypt and Bulgaria: Working together to achieve sustainable tourism," in the presence of Bulgarian Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova, accompanied by a high-level Bulgarian delegation.

[caption id="attachment_91475" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Al-Mashat and Angelkova during The Forum[/caption]

"Success in the tourism sector is based on cooperation with the private sector," Al-Mashat noted, pointing out all parties are working together to achieve sustainable tourism in the sector.

Hailing the deeply-rooted relations, the minister stressed the Tourism Ministry's keenness to develop its relations with countries and international institutions, which is one of the key elements of the Egypt-Tourism Reform Program (E-TRP).

[caption id="attachment_91476" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Egyptian Tourism Minister Shakes Hands with Bulgarian Counterpart[/caption]

The ministry targets that each household has at least one inpidual working in tourism, pointing to the political leadership's support to the sector.

Meanwhile, South Sinai Governor, who attended the event, wished to boost tourism between Cairo and Sofia, affirming Sharm El Sheikh is safe.

He also invited Angelkova to visit the Red Sea resort city and Saint Catherine, suggesting a sign of twinning agreements with tourist cities in Bulgaria.

[caption id="attachment_91477" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Al-Mashat Gifts Angelkova Souvenir[/caption]

He mentioned that the city inked 15 twinning agreements with tourist cities nationwide.

"Sharm El Sheikh will host a health tourism conference on March 25, 2020," the governor pointed out.

Foreign Minister Assistant for European Affairs Ambassador Badr Abdel Ati, Chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Federation Ahmed El Waseef, and Chairperson of the Egyptian Travel Agencies Association Hossam el Shaer attended the event.

Earlier in May, Al-Mashat signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bulgarian minister on developing joint tourism products in the domains of cultural tourism, beach tourism, culinary tourism and other types of tourism.