The Minister of Tourism participates in the meeting of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism in Cairo
Today, Sherif Fathi, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, participated in the meeting of the 27th session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism, which Egypt hosted at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in Cairo, after the Minister chaired the office meeting The Executive Council of the Council yesterday.
Sherif Fathi delivered a speech during the opening session, during which he expressed his thanks and appreciation to the State of Qatar for the successful presidency of the previous session of the Council, wishing the Sultanate of Oman success in managing the next stage.
The Minister referred to the fruitful discussions he witnessed yesterday during his presidency of the Executive Office of the Ministerial Council, thanking everyone who was present yesterday and contributed to these discussions. The discussions and the recommendations that will be discussed today during the Council meeting, praising the role of the regional and international organizations participating in the meeting, which emerged through what they presented during these discussions.
He explained that the Executive Office meeting yesterday discussed several items on the agenda. Business, adding that some of the challenges facing the tourism industry in the Arab region were also talked about, whether challenges that can be controlled or challenges that cannot be controlled, pointing to the challenges of the impact of the political situation as well as the environmental challenges that the region is witnessing. And others.
The Minister stressed that there are challenges that must be a priority for Arab tourism, including artificial intelligence, which is considered modern in the world, especially in light of its many applications that are used in the field of tourism, especially in There remains a discrepancy between the ways countries deal with it.
He pointed out that the biggest challenge in this regard is the governance of dealing with artificial intelligence, pointing out that there are countries that see the necessity of having laws and others that see the importance of setting rules and a law for public governance. Handling control With him.
He stressed the importance of joint cooperation to discuss the optimal ways to deal with artificial intelligence in the region and to benefit from this development, especially in light of the speed of machine learning.
He talked about the most important topics that were discussed and will come into effect. It is the mechanism for implementing the Arab Tourism Strategy, indicating that this strategy is a general framework and an important document upon which joint projects and initiatives must be built and managed in a way that determines rates and timings. Its achievement.
Sherif Fathi praised the role of the League of Arab States, especially through the Department of Transport and Tourism, and the great effort it made with regard to this strategy, stressing the importance of the unified and concerted efforts of the Arab countries to take what is necessary towards implementing The strategy will have a significant impact on Arab tourism.
He added that among the topics that were also discussed was the importance of cooperation in the environmental field, especially through converting existing memorandums of understanding into agreements, as both of them require speedy approvals. What is required of countries is that the agreements are the most effective and strongest, as it puts them into effect in a different form and with a different reference.
He pointed out that there was also talk yesterday about choosing the Arab Tourism Capital for the year 2025, taking the opportunity to extend congratulations to the city of Baghdad in the Republic of Iraq on being chosen to be the capital of Arab tourism for the year 2025. Capital of Arab Tourism for the year 2025.
He explained that there are clear criteria governing the selection process, noting that to achieve and ensure more transparency, it was decided that there will later be a member From the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, as a member with the Arab Tourism Organization to choose the capital of tourism; He appreciated the great effort the organization is making in this regard, and added that the presence of the university’s technical secretariat will have a great addition to the selection process.
Ambassador Tariq bin Ali Al Ansari, Ambassador of the State of Qatar in Cairo and Permanent Representative to the University Arab countries and the President of the previous session (26) of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism, handing over the presidency of the 27th session to the Sultanate of Oman To the Council, which was received by Mr. Salem bin Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism of the Sultanate of Oman.
Following the opening session, the work of the Executive Council meeting began, during which a summary of the Council’s agenda items was presented and discussed, which includes 19 items listed on the agenda, The recommendations of the Executive Office regarding them were discussed and approved.
Among the items that were discussed and approved were supporting the Palestinian economy in the field of tourism, developing a joint regional tourism product such as an Arab tourism region, and tourism innovation. Smart tourism, joint tourism work among Arab countries, the comprehensiveness of contemporary Arab tourist destinations, climate change and its impact on the Arab tourism sector, enhancing the capabilities of economic intelligence in tourism, the Facilitated Tourism Guide (tourism for people with special needs), and integration between tourism and cultural and cultural heritage in Arab countries. The Forum for Tourism Statistics in the Arab Countries, the Arab Tourism Strategy, and the unified account for the specialized ministerial councils.
The Council was also keen to welcome Egypt’s hosting of the conference scheduled to be organized during Next February in Sharm El-Sheikh, in cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Egypt, the Arab Tourism Organization and the Union of Arab Banks, on “The Role of Arab Banks in Developing Arab Tourism.” Member states were invited to participate in the activities of this conference.
During the meeting, the Council also approved the selection of the city of Baghdad in the Republic of Iraq as the capital of Arab tourism for the year 2025.
The Council decided to hold the (28th) session. of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism on Tuesday and Wednesday, December 9-10, 2025, preceded by the holding of the (36th) session of the Council’s Executive Office on Monday, December 8, 2025, in the city of Baghdad, Republic of Iraq.
It is worth noting that Sharif Fathi had chaired, yesterday, the meeting of the 35th session of the Executive Office of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in Cairo.
At the invitation of Minister: Yesterday, the Ministry organized a dinner party in the Golden Hall of the Prince Muhammad Ali Palace Museum in Manial, in honor of His Excellency the Ministers, heads of delegations and delegations participating in the meetings of the 27th session of the Council. The Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism and the 35th session of the Executive Office of the Council.
