Mr. Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, received Mr. Mark Bryson-Richardson, the British Ambassador to Egypt, today at the Ministry's headquarters in the New Administrative Capital. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of tourism and archaeology, and exploring mechanisms to increase tourist arrivals from the UK to Egypt.
Strengthening Strategic Ties
Minister Fathy commenced the meeting by welcoming the Ambassador, emphasizing the profound nature of Egyptian-British relations. He reaffirmed both nations' commitment to expanding these ties to broader horizons in the coming period.
The discussions reviewed current tourism indicators from the UK market since the beginning of the year. The Minister highlighted that the United Kingdom remains a primary target market and a major source of tourism for Egypt.
Diversifying the Egyptian Tourism Product
The Minister detailed Egypt’s diverse range of tourism offerings, noting ongoing efforts to further develop and integrate various products. Key strategies mentioned include:
Integrated Packages: Combining destinations such as Siwa Oasis with the North Coast, and Hurghada with Luxor.
Product Synergy: Blending beach tourism with cultural heritage experiences to enrich the overall tourist journey.
Capacity Expansion: The Minister stressed that the Egyptian state is prioritizing the increase of hotel capacity to accommodate the anticipated growth in inbound traffic.
Growth in Aviation and Connectivity
The meeting noted a significant rise in flights between the two countries. Notably, the British airline Jet2.com recently announced plans to launch direct flights to Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada from several British cities starting in February 2027. This development follows high-level discussions between the Minister and the CEO of Jet2 Airlines & Holidays on the sidelines of the World Travel Market (WTM 2025) in London.
Archaeological Cooperation and Upcoming Exhibition
The officials also discussed joint cooperation in archaeological work and museum management. A major focal point was the final preparations for the "Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs" exhibition, set to open in London in a few days. The exhibition is viewed as a vital opportunity to:
Promote Egyptian civilization and cultural tourism.
Attract British tourists specifically interested in Egypt's rich historical heritage.
Attendees:
The meeting was attended by Ms. Rana Gohar, Advisor to the Minister for Communications and External Relations, and Ms. Lilian Naggar from the Consular Section of the British Embassy in Cairo.
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