Berlin, March 07, 2018 - South Sinai Governor Khaled Fouda said on Wednesday that the governorate had worked hard to promote Sharm El Sheikh as an international conference venue. Fouda was speaking to the Middle East News Agency, on the sidelines of the International Travel Trade Show Berlin (ITB). ITB Berlin is an international tourist industry trade fair which has attracted around 109,000 visitors and 10,000 exhibitors to trade stands, talks and workshops between Mar 7 and Mar 11. Egypt's Tourism Minister Ranya el-Mashat and Minister of Civil Aviation Sherif Fathy on Wednesday opened the Egyptian pavilion at the ITB, in which 100 companies and hotels are taking part. Fouda said that the ITB was an important international event and Egyptian participation in it would strengthen and enhance relations between Egypt and Germany. Several meetings were currently being held by German travel agencies and their Egyptian counterparts with the aim of doubling the number of Germans travelling to Egypt. He added that he was attending the ITB event to promote Sharm el Sheikh as an international conference venue because of its exceptional location, stunning natural views, nice weather and beautiful shores and desert. Fouda said that German tourists were the most frequent visitors to the South Sinai Governorate. Last year, he added, 1,234,000 German tourists visited the country. Fouda pointed out that there were eight weekly Germany-Sharm flights, but that was not enough. The governor said that a new conference hall would be built in the town, big enough to hold 4,000 people. "It will be opened in August," he said. Fouda added that work on expanding the Sharm El Sheikh Airport was due to be completed in six months as of now.
