Egypt's Mediterranean Travel Fair ends today after three days which included the announcement of new hotels. Rehab Saad reports Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Minister of Tourism Zoheir Garrana inaugurated the seventh round of the Mediterranean Travel Fair (MTF) on 5 September at the Cairo International Conference Centre (CICC). The meetings were organised by Reed Travel Exhibition in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism, the Egyptian Tourist Authority, the Egyptian Federation of Tourist Chambers and EgyptAir. It attracted 32 countries including Spain, Qatar, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Cyprus, the UAE, Serbia, Malaysia, Thailand, Ghana, Uganda, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Brazil, Yemen, Kuwait and Syria. Bulgaria, France, Kosovo, Serbia, Uganda and Djibouti were participating for the first time. Eleven Egyptian governorates took part in the event plus the South Sinai and Red Sea Investors Associations, the Antiques and Tourist Commodities Chamber, the Tourist Development Authority and EGOTH Company for Hotels. "The increasing numbers of participants and activities held on the margins of the MTF is evidence that Egypt is able to establish an international travel fair targeted by tourist decision- makers the world over to display their tourist products and sign contracts organising tourist programmes to Egypt and to the countries participating in the event, especially Mediterranean and Arab countries," Egyptian Minister of Tourism Garrana said. Greece was selected this year's feature country, meaning it was the object of attention by the delegates. As such, it held a gala dinner on the MTF inauguration day at the Four Seasons Nile Plaza where all tour operators, travel agents and delegate heads were invited. In commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Karnak Travel Agency, the Egyptian Aviation Ministry held an Egyptian night around the swimming pool of the Grand Hyatt Hotel where MTF participants were invited. Twenty Egyptian travel agencies participated, along with the Egyptian Tourist Authority (ETA), in inviting 200 of the world's top foreign tour operators to attend the MTF and organised a sightseeing programme of Egypt's tourist sites. Reed Travel Exhibitions will grant Lebanon 60 metres of exhibition space, free of charge, as a goodwill gesture in the wake of the country's war with Israel. Lebanon has been a regular participant in the exhibition since it started in 2000. Pascal Petre, head of La Maison de la France, said that through their participation in the MTF, France will organise a workshop where about 20 French travel agencies will meet their Egyptian counterparts on 15 November in an attempt to support the French tourist movement to Egypt. This year, the MTF included special booths for golf courses in Egypt, diving clubs in the Red Sea and Sinai and for Marsa Alam and its hotels. A number of international chains announced new openings during the three- day event. InterContinental Group announced the inauguration of its new 330-room hotel Holiday Inn Citystars in the first quarter of 2007. Four Seasons Egypt also announced the opening of its fourth hotel in Egypt in Alexandria which can take 120 rooms. On the sidelines of the MTF, a number of seminars were held highlighting the changes and factors that affect tourism growth in the Mediterranean region and its unexploited opportunities. Seminar topics included brand strategy in the Middle East market, the newly launched travel Internet domain, online travel, marketing to the over 50s market and service certification of the tourism industry. During the MTF, Hani Sefrax, head of Ghibili race way, a major race organiser, announced the date of the Middle East Kart Racing from 7 February to October 2007. The event, at the junior, senior and master levels, is certified by the CIK FIA and will be organised by Ghibili race way and the European organiser RGMMC which specialises in auto racing.
