CAIRO: Egyptian Tourism Minister Munir Fakhry Abdel Nour today slammed Egyptian and foreign media outlets, laying the responsibility of the flailing Egyptian tourism market directly on their shoulders. The focus of these newspapers is mainly negative, the minister argued. “Stories about road closures only give a negative impression of Egypt and tend to show a state of chaos,” he added. “Egyptian tourism has two objectives,” the Minister told a French delegation at a press conference at the Egyptian Tourist Authority. “First, diversifying the market, and second, participation in unconventional markets like China, eastern India, Brazil and Argentina.” Egypt is also focusing on the diversity of tourism itself, like environmental and medical tourism, the minister said. “There is a deep relationship between Egypt and France and this will increase the technology revolution, particularly in light of online social media networks,” said French television personality Nicholas Elegance. He added that he did not feel as though he was in danger on his Faluca (small Nile boat). “The tourism industry drives people to be closer to each other culturally,” he said. “Egyptian revolutionaries achieved their dream of change,” he added, urging Eyptians to move forward and build a democratic state.” “When I return to France I will relay the message about Egypt's safety on Twitter and Facebook,” he added.
