The African Tourism Forum and Exhibition concluded its work at the Sharm El-Sheikh International Convention Center this afternoon. This forum is the first of its kind on the African continent, and its participants focused on working to enhance cooperation in the field of tourism between African countries, attract foreign investments, and create new job opportunities. For African youth. Many of the senior officials and investors participating in it stressed the importance of the results reached during the two days of the forum.
The organizers decided to hold this event annually in Sharm El Sheikh, overlooking the Red Sea.
The exhibition accompanying the forum today witnessed the participation of representatives of more than 2,000 companies from 35 countries, as they signed tourism contracts and deals for the coming season and until the end of the year, worth more than half a billion US dollars. And representatives of about 40 international airlines representing about 20 countries around the world.
The city of Sharm El-Sheikh witnessed a tourist night yesterday on the occasion of the opening of the first African Tourism Forum in the history of the African continent, in the presence of Ahmed Issa, Minister of Tourism, Major General Dr. Khaled Fouda, Governor of South Sinai, businessman Nasser Abdel Latif, Selcuk Meral, Director of the Turkish GME Company, and Dr. Yousry El-Sharqawi, President of the Businessmen Association. African Egyptians, along with a number of senior African officials, public figures, ambassadors of African countries and members of missions.
African diplomacy and economic affairs. The ceremony was also preceded by an inspection of one of the Radames Rixos Hotel, which is the largest major tourist resort in the city and which was recently opened.
Everyone from different nationalities witnessed the beauty of the resort and the enormous potential that Sharm El Sheikh possesses, whether natural or administrative, which placed the city among the major tourist cities in the world.
Ahmed Issa, the Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, revealed to the audience that the African continent has achieved great success in restoring the rates of incoming tourist traffic, as it recovered 96% of the volume of incoming traffic during the year 2019, according to the World Tourism Organization report, which described tourism in the African continent. Fastest growing in 2023.
Issa explained that the tourism industry in Egypt has achieved positive results during the last period in light of the implementation of the national strategy for tourism development in it, which contributes to achieving its goals with annual growth ranging between 25% to 30%, reaching 30 million tourists by 2028.
The minister added that this period also witnessed the achievement of a record number in tourism revenues, which is considered the highest in the history of tourism in Egypt as a result of the increase in both the number of tourist nights and the value of spending in dollars over the levels of 2010, as revenues reached 4.3 billion dollars compared to 4.1 billion dollars in the previous year. in 2023, and $3.7 billion in 2010
The African Tourism Forum and Exhibition, established by GMT Fair, brings together leading brands, tourism professionals and investors in the sector, providing the opportunity to explore the tourism potential in Africa and Egypt and strengthen important links in this sector, and offers participants an experience full of innovative ideas. Through conferences, committees, meetings and special sessions.
Selcuk Meral, Chairman of the Board of Directors of GMT Fuarcılık, said, “By launching the African Tourism Forum and Exhibition in Sharm El-Sheikh, we aim to create added value for the tourism sector, tourism professionals, investors and dynamics, to pave the way for creating new perspectives, and to provide a platform for exchanging business and information for everyone in the best possible way.” most effective,
For his part, Erkan Yildirim, CEO of Rixos Egypt Hotels and Resorts, said, “We, at Rixos Egypt Hotels, see this opportunity as a great responsibility in shaping the future of tourism, as our commitment
extends beyond providing luxury accommodations; We aim to add great value to the tourism sectors in both Egypt and Africa by enhancing cooperation, innovation and strengthening communications.
He said, “We are working together to create a future where tourism and travel rates rise, and the beauty of every destination is celebrated.” Starting in 2025, this forum will become an annual tradition aimed at celebrating diversity and promoting the prosperity of the tourism industry in Egypt and Africa.
Many representatives of tourism companies, hotels and tourist destinations expressed their satisfaction in participating in this event, as they presented presentations of their companies’ products around the world.
They confirmed that they held dozens of bilateral meetings, which gave the participants the opportunity to communicate with each other, build new business relationships, and sign operational deals and contracts for this year.
