Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, has met with officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina to discuss ways to increase tourist traffic from the Balkan country to Egypt, the ministry said in a statement. Fathy held an expanded professional meeting in Sarajevo with senior officials from the Bosnian tourism sector, including representatives from tourism entities and cities, heads of tourism companies, hotels, and airports. During the meeting, the minister emphasised the importance of direct communication with tour operators as a key element in supporting inbound tourism to Egypt. He stated that the government is focused on creating infrastructure, improving the investment climate, and running promotional campaigns in targeted international markets. Fathy outlined the ministry's strategy, which focuses on promoting Egypt as a top global destination due to its diverse offerings, including cultural, beach, spiritual, and Nile tourism. He added that expanding hotel capacity is a current priority, with the goal of doubling the number of hotel rooms by 2030. This year, 18,000 new rooms are expected to be added, with 6,000 already in service since the beginning of the year. The minister also highlighted Egypt's hosting of international events and concerts in cities like New Alamein, Sharm El-Sheikh, and the Giza Pyramids area. He also suggested organising familiarisation trips for tourism company representatives and influencers from both countries, as well as tourism roadshows and workshops. Fathy's visit is the first official visit by an Egyptian minister to Sarajevo in 15 years. He began his trip by meeting with Bosnian Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation. During that meeting, Fathy reviewed the positive performance of Egypt's tourism sector in 2024, which saw 15.8 million tourists, a 6% increase from 2023. He also mentioned the official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, scheduled for November 1. The two ministers expressed their readiness to advance cooperation, including promoting joint tourism investments, facilitating visa procedures, and increasing the number of direct flights. They also discussed potential cooperation in archaeology, leveraging Egyptian expertise in monument restoration and museum management.
