Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, met with Eric Chevalier, the French Ambassador to Cairo, at the ministry’s headquarters in the New Administrative Capital to discuss enhancing Egyptian-French cooperation in tourism and antiquities. The discussions centered around strategies to boost inbound tourism from France and updates on joint archaeological projects.
Minister Fathy emphasized the longstanding, strategic ties between Egypt and France, noting the progress in bilateral relations, which have been further strengthened by mutual visits from both countries’ leaders. He highlighted that Egypt is on track to welcome around 15.3 million tourists by the end of 2024, returning to pre-COVID-19 tourism levels.
Fathy also highlighted Egypt’s advancements in infrastructure, such as the development of new cities, improved roads, airports, and bridges, which have enhanced accessibility to tourist destinations. The North Coast was highlighted as a particularly promising destination, attracting visitors from 105 nationalities, with three operational airports and the planned Ras El Hekma Airport to accommodate increasing demand.
The Minister shared plans to develop integrated strategic frameworks for key tourist regions, including the North Coast and the area spanning Sphinx International Airport to the Saqqara Pyramid, which includes the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum. These initiatives aim to attract investments and establish new hotels, entertainment hubs, and commercial spaces.
In addition to these developments, Fathy outlined the Ministry’s efforts to diversify Egypt’s tourism offerings. This includes reviving long Nile cruises from Cairo to Aswan and promoting ecotourism, spiritual tourism, and medical tourism. He also provided updates on ongoing projects, such as the Grand Egyptian Museum’s trial operations and the Giza Pyramids development project, which will enhance visitor services and create recreational areas for camels and horses. The Ministry is also collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture to improve the welfare of animals in archaeological sites.
French Ambassador Eric Chevalier praised Egypt’s cultural heritage and its appeal as a top destination for French tourists. He noted that France has a strong presence in Egypt’s tourism and antiquities sectors, with 48 French archaeological missions working on significant restoration and excavation projects. Recent achievements include the restoration of Karnak Temple’s open museum, improved lighting in Luxor’s Deir el-Medina tombs, and the restoration of the tomb of Hesy-Ra at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir.
Chevalier also underscored France’s investments in Egypt’s hospitality sector, with numerous French companies involved in hotel development. He expressed optimism for further collaboration and investments in the coming years, reflecting the enduring and fruitful partnership between the two nations.
