BERLIN,March 7- Minister of Civil Aviation, Sherif Fathi, stated that Egypt gives top priority to the development of its airports according to international standards, adding the investments in the aviation sector have exceeded $70 million. The minister's statements came during his recent visit to Germany to take part in the leading tourism show " ITB Berlin 2018" that will kick off on Wednesday. Minister Fathi said that the ministry has also applied the national programme for aviation safety, maintenance and airports' upgrade, a matter that had a knock-on effect on credible efficiency levels at Egypt's airports. This, he added, has helped increase the tourist influx into the country. He remarked that the ministry's participation in ITB Berlin 2018 is considered a "complementary" factor in the tourism industry. "Our participation is of paramount importance to eliminate obstacles and to discuss with Germany the means of boosting co-operation," the official Middle East News Agency (MENA) quoted the minister as saying. Meanwhile, Minister Fathi said that around 1.2 million German tourists visited Egypt in 20l7 and that the ministry is working on increasing this number by the end of this year. Egypt is Germany's third economic partner in the Middle East, he added. The Egyptian delegation participating in the ITB Berlin includes Tourism Minister Rania el-Mashat along with South Sinai and Red Sea Governors.
