Minister of Tourism unveils new campaign as Egypt sees tourists return
Egypt’s Minister of Tourism, Mr. Hisham Zaazou, addressed a packed press conference on the opening day of World Travel Market (WTM) 2014, to launch a new promotional campaign titled ‘Magic of the Pharaohs’. The new campaign followed a detailed update from the Minister on the resurgence in inbound tourism to the country.
Discussing the fact that Egypt is very much ‘open for business’, the Minister was happy to report that in Egypt’s first quarter of the year (July – September 2014), tourism had witnessed a triple digit increase globally, with the UK up by 15-20% when compared to the same period in 2013. September 2014 alone saw an increase of 200%.
Using stunning destination visuals and a clever ‘dream creative’, Egypt’s unique natural wonders and unrivalled culture and hospitality, were brought to life in the new ‘Magic of the Pharaohs’ promotional campaign designed to restore and fast-track the return of visitors from the UK and global markets.
The Minister commented, “We are focusing our attention on the revival of Classical Egypt; Luxor, Aswan and Nile cruises, as the Red Sea Riviera continues to be a popular beach holiday destination.
“We’ve made a considerable effort to increase the level of our promotional activity, which is beginning to pay dividends. I’m feeling very optimistic about 2015 and beyond. With the support of all our tourism partners across the industry and globally, the outlook for Egypt going forward is very positive,” he concluded.
The Minister also highlighted a number of significant new cultural events, including the 110 year celebration of the discovery of the Nefertari Tomb, the journey of the Holy Family in conjunction with global religious leaders, and the upcoming Aida Opera. The Aida Opera is being performed at the Pyramids on 16 December to announce the launch of a new Suez Canal project.
Joining the Minister at the press conference was Mr. Nasser Kamel, Egypt’s Ambassador to the UK, who stated, “With all the activities and events that we’ve committed to develop, Egypt is again in a strong position to attract visitors from around the world. I truly believe that tourism will bounce back in 2015.”
Further to the renewed efforts to promote ‘Classical Egypt’, the destination continues to market its many niche products, which has resulted in the confirmation of several important partnerships. For example, within ‘sport tourism’ the PGA EuroPro Tour has seen its Order of Merit renamed the ‘Race to El Gouna’, and the introduction of the climax to the golfing calendar, the ‘Visit Egypt Tour Championship’ in the Red Sea’s El Gouna.
Touching on the current political situation and its impact on tourism, the Minister pushed home the message that a considerable amount of effort has been made to ensure Egypt is very much ‘open for business’.
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About Egypt
Located in the northeast corner of Africa on the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt is placed at a crossroad between Africa, Asia and Europe. With colossal ancient monuments, thousands of years of history, expansive desert landscapes, the world’s longest river and the stunning Red Sea Riviera resorts, Egypt offers a wealth of wonders to discover.
For more information, please visit: www.egypt.travel or www.gotoegypt.org. Or check out the new UK Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/LoveEgyptUK
