Planning for tourism development in Egypt

I was previously part of a team of international consultants who prepared the 2008 national strategy. A global recession, the Arab spring, terrorist attacks on aviation and the Covid-19 pandemic meant the industry has never been able to take full benefit of our work.  However, a stable government under President El-Sisi has overseen recent state investment in upgrading the country’s road, air and rail infrastructure. This, together with the creation of two new museums – the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Old Cairo and the Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza - has created an environment where every stakeholder perceives real potential to reimagine Egyptian tourism. They want to develop a sector that appeals not just to ‘fly and flop’ tourists and those interested in Pharaonic antiquities, but many emerging markets including wellness tourism, ornithologists and cultural tourists.

So, for the last few months I’ve been supporting colleagues from the original team on the preparation of a new strategic framework for action and a separate product development strategy. The strategic framework, for which I have been lead author, is built around six pillars that collectively support the future development of the sector:-

• Creation of an appropriate institutional framework

• Creation of a favourable, attractive investment climate

• Ensuring the necessary enabling infrastructure is in place

• Enhancing and expanding the product base

• Effectively promoting the destination and its products to the market

• Improving the visitor experience

The supporting product development strategy presents a broad suite of development opportunities that will diversify the product offer on the ground. It also supports a separate rebranding and repositioning strategy for the country recently completed by a Canadian company, Twenty31 Consulting Inc. Key to these recommendations is the aspiration to increase overall yield per head from tourism. There is also an emphasis on reducing the high-volume, low value sector and replacing it with niche products and experiences that command a higher price. In turns this will deliver more economic benefit to the Egyptian end of the supply chain, rather than European tour operators who currently retain much of the revenue generated from holidaymakers choosing Egypt as a destination. 

These two strategies were firstly presented to the Minister for Tourism and then to the Prime Minister in Cairo in early June. Following their approval, they were presented at a workshop to the industry and full support was confirmed.

So, why is this particularly newsworthy?  I’ve been working as a consultant to the international tourism sector for nearly 35 years and this is the first time that I’ve worked on a national strategic plan for the sector that has been commissioned, and paid for, by the private sector – in this instance the ETF.  Every other project of this type that I’ve been involved with has been commissioned by the public sector, whether this has been at a national or regional level.  The involvement of key personnel from within the Federation has been essential. Not only to securing access to market intelligence that has informed our decision-making, but also to negotiating a path that meets national (government) policy objectives and presents realistic actions that will deliver real benefit to the industry delivering on the ground.  Let’s hope this isn’t a one-off in terms of the private sector taking more control over strategic planning for destinations.

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