CAIRO, Aug 26 (KUNA) -- Kuwait-Egyptian relations are strong in all fields, and especially in tourism, and this is evident in the large number of Kuwaiti who come annually to Egypt to enjoy its touristic attractions, said Egyptian Minister of Tourism Mohammad Zuhair Garana.
Speaking to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), he said that statistics showed that 10 percent of the Kuwaiti population come to Egypt on vacation, putting it ahead of other countries.
Moreover, he said that Kuwaiti investments in this sector contributed to activating tourism in Egypt, noting that such investments also reflected the strong relations that bound the two countries.
The minister added that the Kuwaiti investment's Marsa Alam project in Sinai would soon be inaugurated, saying, "This project is one of the largest in Egypt's tourism sector and will attract tourists to the area, thus allowing for further development."
As for ministry efforts to attract Arab tourists, he said that there were media campaigns, as well as visits to the individual countries, including Kuwait.
Garana also spoke of his visit to Kuwait in June during the parliamentary elections and his meeting with the Prime Minister, His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who noted the positive efforts in Egypt's tourism sector.
On tourism statistics, the minister said that Arab tourists increased by eight percent in July alone, and pointed out that more services were being incorporated by the ministry to allow tourists a more enjoyable stay.
Asked about how developments in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories affected Egyptian tourism, he said that the drop was not great in Arab tourists, but that the number of Western visitors to the country was slightly affected.
By Khalid Al-Zaid and Ahmad Hawari
