At the “Al-Ahram Forum for Egyptian Tourism... From Diversifying Components to Enhancing Competitiveness,” which was organized by Al-Ahram Foundation under the patronage of Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, my attention was particularly drawn to the proposal presented by Mr. Sherif Fathi, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, which reflected a vision that goes beyond the concept of tourism as mere numbers of tourists or hotel nights, to dealing with it as an integrated industry linked to the economy, society, infrastructure, aviation, investment, and marketing.

I believe that the most important thing that distinguishes the Minister’s way of thinking is his awareness that the tourism product is not manufactured by the Ministry of Tourism alone, but rather is the product of cooperation and integration between the various sectors of the state, in addition to the pivotal role of the private sector. This is a realistic vision that fits the nature of a highly interconnected and competitive global industry.

Perhaps the figure indicated by the Minister, that every million tourists support about 220,000 direct and indirect job opportunities, clearly demonstrates that tourism is not a marginal service activity, but rather an economic and social sector capable of creating job opportunities and moving broad sectors of the economy.
It also stopped at his vision to diversify the Egyptian tourism product, including working to promote Marsa Matruh and linking it to Siwa Oasis and the product of Egyptian Bedouin culture. This thinking about creating integrated tourism experiences is what Egypt needs in the next stage, instead of just promoting the components individually.

Another important point is the clear coordination between the Ministries of Tourism and Antiquities and Civil Aviation, which was reflected in the maintenance of incoming air traffic to Egypt, and in the significant growth witnessed by El Alamein International Airport, as charter flights increased during the current summer season by 50% compared to the same period last year.

The Minister's presentation of the idea of ​​linking tourism investment growth to the state's goals, and the new investment platform to simplify procedures for investors, reflects an interest in transforming tourism opportunities into real and sustainable investments.
The participation of Dr. Sameh Al-Hafni, Mr. Hossam Al-Shaer, Dr. Nader Al-Beblawi, and Mr. Sharif Al-Banna, enriched the dialogue with the visions of the government and private sectors, while Ms. Kholoud Al-Omyan, editor-in-chief of Forbes Middle East, moderated the session in a distinguished professional manner, reflecting thought and a clear ability to manage the dialogue and extract ideas from the speakers.

In my estimation, the Al-Ahram Forum’s message was clear: Egypt does not lack tourism diversity, but the challenge is to transform this diversity into a global competitive force, integrated experiences, and sustainable investments.

From this standpoint, what Minister Sherif Fathi proposed deserves praise. Because it is based on a vision that considers tourism an integrated industry and a national partnership, and places the tourist experience, investment, and coordination between state institutions at the heart of the development process.

This is the vision that could push the Egyptian destination to a new stage of competitiveness on the global tourism map.