CAIRO, May 7, 2018 (MENA) - President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has pressed for action to upgrade the tourism sector, believing this is a major factor to counter terrorism and extremism. Tourism helps bring peoples closer and create a favorable climate to achieve prosperity and progress, Sisi said Monday during his meeting with Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Egypt is looking forward to boosting cooperation with the UNWTO in a way that would support tourism, which is a key sector in achieving sustainable development goals, presidential spokesman Bassam Radi quoted Sisi as having said. Sisi told Pololikashvili that his country pays big attention to the travel sector, which is considered one of the pillars of the Egyptian economy, Radi said. The president underscored the important role played by the UNWTO to support and activate tourism worldwide, the spokesman added. Sisi also posted Pololikashvili on efforts exerted to stabilize security across Egypt, Radi noted. Egypt is keen on effectively participating in the different activities of the UNWTO, Sisi stressed. Pololikashvili said the UNWTO is also seeking to upgrade Egypt's ability to rehabilitate its tourism sector. He told Sisi joint cooperation plans should be outlined so that UNWTO could share its resources and expertise to upgrade the Egyptian travel sector.
