IFTM Daily - Day 4
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6 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW :: ENTRETIEN EXCLUSIF<br />
Egypt Back in Business<br />
In a difficult context marked by travel bans made by some states for their citizens, Egypt is reassuring travel professionals. Present for the<br />
first time at <strong>IFTM</strong> Top Resa, Hisham Zaazou, Egyptian Minister of Tourism, exclusively answers questions from <strong>IFTM</strong> <strong>Daily</strong>.<br />
Hisham Zaazou<br />
Egyptian Minister of Tourism<br />
::: Ministre égyptien du Tourisme<br />
Egypt has effectively passed a very<br />
difficult period in July and August. Since<br />
then, the situation has stabilised and the<br />
country has regained its calm. And this<br />
calm is growing day by day. Moreover,<br />
most of the areas visited by tourists such<br />
as the stations of the Red Sea or the South<br />
Sinai or the Valley of the Kings in Luxor<br />
and Aswan region, have not suffered from<br />
the trouble. Our priority is the safety of the<br />
passengers and we assure this 100%.<br />
Proof is in the fact that no tourist has<br />
been affected by recent political events.<br />
What is the importance of <strong>IFTM</strong> Top<br />
Resa in your communication strategy?<br />
Egypt is again ready to welcome visitors.<br />
This is the message I want to bring to the<br />
professionals of tourism around the world<br />
and in particular in France. <strong>IFTM</strong> Top Resa<br />
is therefore an excellent platform to meet<br />
our partners - tour operators, travel agents<br />
and press. This is much more the case<br />
as this tradeshow has an increasingly<br />
international dimension.<br />
What is your most pressing wish?<br />
Tourism is an essential economic activity<br />
for our country, because it creates jobs<br />
for a very large number of Egyptians.<br />
Many of them are suffering today from<br />
the disaffection of our tourist destinations.<br />
So my first wish is that States who have<br />
thrown global bans on travel to Egypt<br />
remove these bans. It is necessary that<br />
these States cease to see our country as<br />
a mono-destination, but as a mosaic<br />
WE WORK WITH<br />
TOUR OPERATORS<br />
AND AIRLINES TO<br />
REDUCE THEIR<br />
FINANCIAL RISKS.<br />
of destinations with different reception<br />
conditions. Britain or Germany, for<br />
example, issued a targeted ban that<br />
allows travellers to visit certain areas,<br />
particularly towards establishments on<br />
the Red Sea.<br />
Have what measures you taken to<br />
support the efforts of professionals<br />
wishing to program Egypt?<br />
We work with tour operators and airlines<br />
to reduce their financial risks. This<br />
translates, among other things, to a<br />
reduction of 30% of airport taxes for<br />
airlines. And we are ready to support the<br />
cost of the unsold seats on planes beyond<br />
a 50 percent fill rate. We have also frozen<br />
the passenger departure tax. And for<br />
tour operators, we support 50% of their<br />
marketing and communication activities<br />
in their markets. It is one of the messages<br />
that we are disseminating at <strong>IFTM</strong> Top<br />
Resa, which I am visiting for the first time,<br />
and via our tourism offices abroad which<br />
relay this information.<br />
[ Translation by Richard Barnes ]<br />
::: L'Egypte de nouveau<br />
LAST MINUTE<br />
On 24 September, Germany partially<br />
lifted its ban on travel to Egypt. The<br />
website of the German Ministry of<br />
Foreign Affairs calls for prudence,<br />
but indicates that travellers can go<br />
to the Nile Valley - between Luxor<br />
and Aswan - as well as to the South<br />
Sinai, along the Red Sea.<br />
Stand E47<br />
Dans un contexte difficile marqué par les interdictions de voyages<br />
faites par certains Etats pour leurs ressortissants, l'Egypte souhaite<br />
rassurer les professionnels du voyage. Présent pour la première fois<br />
sur le salon <strong>IFTM</strong> Top Resa, Hisham Zaazou, ministre égyptien du<br />
Tourisme, répond en exclusivité aux questions d'<strong>IFTM</strong> <strong>Daily</strong>…<br />
L'Egypte a effectivement passé une<br />
période très difficile en juillet et août<br />
dernier. Depuis, la situation s'est<br />
stabilisée et le pays a retrouvé son<br />
calme. Et ce calme se renforce de jour<br />
en jour. De plus, la plupart des régions<br />
visitées par les touristes telles que les<br />
stations de la Mer Rouge ou du Sud<br />
Sinaï, ou encore la Vallée des Rois à<br />
Louxor et la région d'Assouan, n'ont<br />
pas du tout souffert des troubles.<br />
Notre priorité est la sécurité des<br />
voyageurs et nous l'assurons à<br />
100 %. Preuve en est le fait qu'aucun<br />
touriste n'a été touché par les récents<br />
événements politiques.<br />
<strong>IFTM</strong> <strong>Daily</strong> • Friday 27 th September 2013<br />
www.iftmdaily.com
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