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.
