Egypt, Russia discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in tourism

Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Khaled Al-Anani, discussed in a meeting with Zarina Doguzova, Head of the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism, ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the field of tourism, the ministry said in a statement.

Both parties also discussed a number of issues related to the return of Russian tourism to Egyptian resorts.

The meeting was attended by Ihab Nasr, Egypt’s ambassador to Russia, and the Egyptian delegation accompanying the minister.

During the meeting, Al-Anani and Doguzova discussed the possibility of making joint tourism programs between the two countries that would contribute to pushing more tourist traffic to Egypt from the Russian market, and working to increase the number of tourist trips between the two countries.

They also discussed the possibility of having a joint tourism committee working between the two countries to push the incoming tourist movement to Egypt from Russia.

In addition, they covered ways to achieve maximum benefit for tourism companies and establishments from the Egyptian and Russian sides from the decision to return Russian tourism to Egyptian tourist resorts.

Al-Anani also reviewed the latest developments in the precautionary and preventive measures and health controls followed in hotels, tourist facilities, airports, museums and archaeological sites in Egypt to confront the Coronavirus, where the minister indicated that these procedures and controls are constantly updated.

The meeting touched on discussing and reviewing the incentives and facilities provided by the Egyptian government to tour operators to push more tourist traffic to Egypt from all countries of the world.

The minister pointed out that new airlines have been developed to connect the airports of the coastal cities with the cities of the valley and the integration of the beach tourism product with the cultural tourism product. This in turn will give an opportunity for tourists to visit more than one tourist city during their tourist trip in Egypt and not limit the visit to one city only.

On April 25^th, Egypt and Russia have agreed to resume all flights between the two countries in a call between their presidents, Abdel Fattah el Sisi and Vladimir Putin.

As many as 1 million Russian tourists could visit Egypt in 2021.

Flights to resort destinations Sharm al-Sheikh and Hurghada were suspended after a Russian passenger plane crashed in Sinai in October 2015, killing 224 people.