The Egyptian Travel Agents Association (ETAA) held an important meeting to explore prospects for tourism cooperation between Egypt and Uganda, as part of efforts to strengthen Egyptian-African relations and enhance cooperation with African countries across various fields, particularly tourism.
Dr. Nader El-Beblawi, Chairman of the Egyptian Travel Agents Association, received a high-level delegation from the Board of Directors of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB). The meeting discussed potential areas of cooperation across various tourism activities, as well as opportunities to promote tourism and hotel investments between the two countries.
The two sides also explored the possibility of developing joint tourism programs targeting long-haul markets, particularly the Far East, Australia, and North and South America. Such programs would combine the diverse tourism assets of Egypt and Uganda into integrated itineraries, offering international travelers a distinctive experience across both destinations.
The meeting was attended by Mohamed Ayoub, Chairman of the Egyptian Hotel Association; Karim El-Menbawy, Chairman of the ETAA Foreign Tourism Committee; and Nancy Abdel Hady, Uganda’s Goodwill Ambassador to Egypt and Executive Director of the African Tourism Authority.
The Ugandan delegation included Tony Molende, Rashid Kiemba, Vincent Oberimo, and Aidet Wada, Secretary of the Uganda Tourism Board.
Joint Workshops to Strengthen Cooperation
The meeting comes within the framework of supporting Egypt’s efforts to strengthen relations with African countries in general and Nile Basin countries in particular, with Uganda being a key partner.
Following the receipt of the Ugandan proposal to hold the meeting, the ETAA Board of Directors welcomed the initiative, and the meeting was held at the Association’s headquarters in Dokki. Discussions featured a number of ideas and proposals aimed at strengthening cooperation between the private tourism sectors in Egypt and Uganda.
The two sides agreed to organize a series of joint workshops in both Egypt and Uganda, with the support of the ETAA and the Uganda Tourism Board. They also agreed to prepare an agenda for future meetings and workshops and examine practical mechanisms for implementing the areas of cooperation discussed during the meeting.
Diverse Tourism Assets Create New Opportunities
Dr. Nader El-Beblawi, Chairman of the Egyptian Travel Agents Association, stressed Egypt’s strong interest in cooperation with its African counterparts across various fields, particularly tourism, emphasizing that the ETAA Board of Directors fully supports the Egyptian state’s efforts in this direction.
El-Beblawi said that receiving the Ugandan delegation, which included representatives of the Uganda Tourism Board as well as a number of leading Ugandan investors, including Uganda’s largest hotel investor, reflects this approach.
The ETAA Chairman emphasized that the Association seeks to build on the outcome of the meeting and establish clear foundations for cooperation with the Ugandan side in a way that supports the tourism industries of both countries and opens new opportunities for the private sector.
He noted that Uganda has diverse tourism assets, including lakes and forests that are home to large and rare wildlife, in addition to adventure tourism, safari experiences, and Nile tourism.
El-Beblawi also pointed to the relatively short travel time between Egypt and Uganda, which is approximately four hours, as an important factor that could support tourism flows between the two countries and create greater opportunities for cooperation between tourism companies in both markets.
Egyptian Tourism Companies Welcome Cooperation
Karim El-Menbawy, Chairman of the ETAA Foreign Tourism Committee, welcomed the Ugandan delegation’s visit, emphasizing the promising opportunities for tourism cooperation between Egypt and Uganda.
El-Menbawy said that the diversity of tourism assets in both countries creates opportunities to develop rich and distinctive tourism programs, enhancing the ability of tourism companies in both markets to access new source markets and increase tourist flows.
He stressed that Egyptian tourism companies welcome this direction, noting that the Foreign Tourism Committee will begin examining the proposals discussed during the meeting and work on developing a framework for areas of cooperation that can be implemented by the private sectors of both countries.
Ugandan Delegation Praises Egyptian Tourism Expertise
The Ugandan delegation expressed its appreciation to the ETAA Board of Directors, headed by Dr. Nader El-Beblawi, for welcoming the proposal to hold the meeting and for the warm reception extended to the delegation.
The delegation members highlighted their appreciation for the seriousness and commitment demonstrated during discussions on opportunities for cooperation across various tourism and hospitality fields.
They emphasized that Egypt is Africa’s leading tourism destination and that cooperation with Egypt serves the interests of both countries, particularly Uganda, expressing their desire to benefit from Egypt’s extensive tourism expertise.
The delegation also noted that the visit comes within the framework of the strong and longstanding relations between Uganda and Egypt at the level of the political leadership, the two governments, and the peoples of both countries. They expressed their hope and confidence that the visit would lead to strong and effective cooperation in tourism.
The delegation further revealed that additional Ugandan delegations are expected to visit Egypt in the coming period as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation and open new areas for tourism partnership between the two countries.
Exchange Visits to Promote Direct Private-Sector Cooperation
Nancy Abdel Hady, Uganda’s Goodwill Ambassador to Egypt and Executive Director of the African Tourism Authority, said the Ugandan delegation included a number of senior government officials and leading Ugandan investors who are members of the Uganda Tourism Board.
She explained that the visit reflects Uganda’s interest in benefiting from the Egyptian tourism experience, which she described as one of the most successful tourism models in Africa and the region, while gaining insights into Egyptian expertise across various tourism fields.
Abdel Hady noted that during their visit to Egypt, the Ugandan delegation toured a number of hotels, tourist destinations, and archaeological sites. The delegation also visited Sharm El-Sheikh, in addition to exploring both floating and fixed hotels along the Nile.
She said the delegation members were impressed by Egypt’s experience in leveraging the Nile as a tourism asset and transforming it into a globally recognized tourism product with a strong international reputation.
Abdel Hady added that the coming period will witness further visits by Ugandan delegations to Egypt, as well as visits by representatives of Egyptian tourism chambers to Uganda, helping strengthen direct communication and cooperation between the private tourism sectors of the two countries.
She expressed her appreciation to the ETAA Board of Directors, headed by Dr. Nader El-Beblawi, for hosting the Ugandan delegation, the warm reception extended to its members, and the serious and constructive approach that characterized the discussions.
