Sports tourism is one of the most important patterns of tourism that is popular across all different ages and nationalities. Sports tourism directly helps to increase tourist influx and hotel occupancies to the cities where championships are held. This is why Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Khaled Abdel Aziz commented: "Periodically, there should be a roadmap to attract sports tourism to Egypt." In order to boost tourism, besides creating prestigious sporting events, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, has been incredibly selective about the championships celebrated in Egypt. This included the re-launch of the 2016 Al-Ahram Squash Open at the Giza Pyramids after a 10-year absence; the 2016 FIE Senior World Cup for Men's Foil at the Saladin Citadel of Cairo; in addition to many ongoing sports tournaments at Egypt's most touristic cities such as Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada. Abdel Aziz highlighted the importance of Egypt hosting major sporting events, supported by the presence of the media and large audiences, as one of the most important tools, which serves as for providing a quick promotion of Egypt abroad. "The ministry wants to support all international championships and sporting events. In the upcoming period, the ministry will focus more of its attention on international sporting events to promote tourism in Egypt through these tournaments," he added. Wadi Degla Clubs are celebrating Thursday the opening of the Wadi Degla PSA Men's World Squash Open Championship and the PSA Women's International Squash Open Championship. This is the first time that the Professional Squash Association (PSA) has granted a club the great responsibility of organising the World Men's Squash Open Championship, rather than a federation or association. Abdel Aziz said: "Wadi Degla Clubs made a great effort to host both prestigious events, which will add a lot to Egypt's credit of international championships held on Egyptian soil in recent times." He concluded that the ministry is keen to offer support to sports federations, associations, and clubs so as to host major sporting events where Arab and African countries will participate, as well as other nations from around the world.
