Cairo Reports 'Positive Indicators' for Inbound Tourism Movement

Tourists take a photo in front of the Great Giza pyramids on the outskirts of Cairo (Reuters)
Tourists take a photo in front of the Great Giza pyramids on the outskirts of Cairo (Reuters)
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Cairo Reports 'Positive Indicators' for Inbound Tourism Movement

Tourists take a photo in front of the Great Giza pyramids on the outskirts of Cairo (Reuters)
Tourists take a photo in front of the Great Giza pyramids on the outskirts of Cairo (Reuters)

Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Issa, stated that Egypt has achieved a record performance in the tourism industry over the past 6 months, with an increase in the number of incoming tourists.

The Minister reviewed during a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Tourism and Antiquities Support Fund, on Thursday, the "positive indicators of inbound tourism movement to Egypt," which has positively reflected on the financial performance and revenues of the fund.

This period saw the highest rates of inbound tourism movement in Egypt's history of tourism, compared to the same period in 2010, which was the highest rate at that time, according to a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

The Minister stressed the need to measure and follow up on the performance, quality, and accuracy of available data regarding the sector and its activity, which is crucial for making fact-based decisions contributing to its development and advancement.

Last year, 11.7 million tourists arrived in Egypt, compared to eight million in 2021, according to official statistics.

The Minister announced last month that Egypt received about seven million tourists during the first five months of the year and aims to receive 15 million by the end of the year.

Egypt is seeking 18 to 20 million tourists in 2024.

The head of the Committee for Promotion of Cultural Tourism in Luxor, Mohamed Othman, believes that several reasons resulted in positive indicators in inbound tourism.

Othman explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that the successful archaeological discoveries during the last period, the development of Sphinx and Bernice airports, and new government facilities to obtain tourist visas helped increase tourism movement into the country.

The expert echoed the Minister's predictions, agreeing that the country is expected to attract 15 million tourists until the end of the year, coming mainly from China, India, and Japan.

Meanwhile, an Egyptian private plane made an "emergency" landing at the Aktobe International Airport in Kazakhstan, following a false alarm in the luggage storage area, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation.

A source stated that the Egyptian plane was heading from Sharm el-Sheikh Airport to Nur-Sultan Airport in Kazakhstan, and alarms went off three and half hours after takeoff.

"Immediately, this warning was addressed seriously, and all internationally applicable air safety rules were followed, which required extinguishing the fire and landing at the nearest airport," the statement added.

The source confirmed that the pilot and co-pilot activated the fire extinguishing system, and all alarm warnings on the plane stopped. They headed towards Aktobe Airport, the nearest airport for landing, and the aircraft landed safely.

The passengers were evacuated, and the baggage stores were evacuated.

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the airport authorities reviewed all the procedures taken by the company and re-authorized take off again after ensuring that they applied all international standards for air maintenance and safety procedures.

A malfunction of the fire detection system in the cockpit was confirmed, and there was no trace of fire or smoke in any of the luggage stores.

The plane continued its flight to Nur-Sultan Airport in Kazakhstan.



Saudi Arabia Joins International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy

Officials from the Saudi Energy Ministry after the official announcement of joining the International Partnership for the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (Saudi Energy Ministry)
Officials from the Saudi Energy Ministry after the official announcement of joining the International Partnership for the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (Saudi Energy Ministry)
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Saudi Arabia Joins International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy

Officials from the Saudi Energy Ministry after the official announcement of joining the International Partnership for the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (Saudi Energy Ministry)
Officials from the Saudi Energy Ministry after the official announcement of joining the International Partnership for the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (Saudi Energy Ministry)

The Saudi Energy Ministry announced Saturday that the Kingdom has officially joined the International Partnership for the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE), as part of its ongoing efforts to foster international collaboration in developing this vital sector.
This accession marks a major step for the Kingdom, reinforcing its pioneering role in global sustainability efforts and in innovating advanced solutions for clean energy, the Ministry said in a statement.
It aligns with Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a key producer and exporter of clean hydrogen, and to achieve greenhouse gases (GHGs) net-zero through the circular carbon economy approach by 2060, or before depending on technology maturity and availability, the statement added.
Saudi Arabia’s involvement in IPHE underscores its commitment to international cooperation as a cornerstone for attaining a more sustainable energy future.
The move also supports the objectives of the “Saudi Green Initiative” and “Middle East Green Initiative,” which focus on reducing carbon emissions and stimulating global demand for clean hydrogen, according to the statement.
"It also aims to contribute to the development and harmonization of regulations and standards that bolster the clean hydrogen economy,” it added.
IPHE serves as a crucial platform for fostering collaboration among member states to expedite the advancement and deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
The partnership is dedicated to exchanging knowledge, supporting relevant research and technologies, and raising awareness about the importance of clean hydrogen in achieving sustainable development.
In this spirit, Saudi Arabia actively participates in numerous international organizations and initiatives linked to the production of clean and low-emission fuels, including the Innovation Mission Initiative, the Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting, the Zero Neutrality Forum for Producers, the Global Methane Initiative, and other related efforts.