egypt tourism reform program

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Al Mashat unveils Egypt’s Tourism Reform Program at AmCham luncheon

Tourism Minister Rania Al Mashat unveiled Egypt’s Tourism Reform Program (E-TRP) , her ministry’s long-term strategy aimed at reforming the tourism sector, at an AmCham luncheon on Thursday. The five-pillar strategy focuses on institutional and legislative reforms, ramping up tourism promotion campaigns, developing tourism infrastructure, and rebranding Egyptian tourism to come in line with global trends.

Administrative reforms and capacity building: Al Mashat plans to lay the groundwork for the strategy by introducing far-reaching administrative reforms such as overhauling her ministry’s internal structure to increase its efficiency and focusing on hiring high-quality staff to fill managerial positions. The minister also stressed the importance of attracting more women and young people to the industry — and on the need to building up the skills of tourism workers through vocational training.

Legislative reforms: E-TRP sees changes to the legal framework governing tourism, which has remained unchanged for nearly five decades. The minister did not delve into the specifics of the legal amendments she plans to introduce, but she did note that the overwhelming majority of the industry’s labor force is unofficial and unregistered, suggesting that her ministry will be looking to introduce measures to bring the sector’s employees into the formal economy through a mix of incentives and new requirements. Industry will play a role in drafting the new legislation, she said, to ensure the measures are well-rounded.

Al Mashat confirmed that the strategy will see the ministry launching a private equity fund to upgrade Egypt’s hotels and resorts and help restructure those that are struggling financially. The fund will be at the heart of the infrastructure development element of the strategy, which will also focus on bringing hotel health and food safety and overall quality up to international standards across the domestic industry.

Re-branding Egypt and ramping up tourism promotion: The ministry intends to rebrand Egypt as a “responsible” choice for tourists that boasts green tourism destinations and empowers women economically. This rebranding will be promoted globally through campaigns, travel expos, and a full-court-press on social and other media. The ministry will also host a summit geared exclusively toward influencers during the first half of 2019 to give tourism promotion a shot in the arm. The marketing strategy will also shift towards focusing on specific destinations within Egypt, in accordance with the seasons. Campaigns will focus on tapping new source markets, particularly in Asia and Eastern Europe, as well as doubling down on well-established markets such as the Gulf. The ministry had selected in September a consortium made up of Egyptian Media Group subsidiary Synergy, and Middle East Communications Network to run Egypt’s tourism promotion campaign abroad, replacing JWT.

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CNN Commercial

Egypt looks to the future through highly innovative tourism campaign with cnn combining storytelling and data.

The Arab Republic of Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism is embarking on an expanded partnership with CNN in a global tourism campaign that showcases a contemporary Egypt across an innovative mix of TV, digital and social media platforms.

The new partnership between CNN International Commercial (CNNIC) and Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism sees both parties working closely together for this wide-reaching campaign, starting in May, to enrapture and excite Egypt’s key audiences around the world.

The objective of the partnership is to continue and accelerate the country’s tourism growth. By showcasing the beauty of the country through its diverse destinations and the warmth and hospitality of its people amongst CNN’s global audience, this campaign is designed to deliver on Minister of Tourism H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat’s vision of developing a sustainable tourism sector and helping Egypt grow visitor numbers as highlighted in the Egypt—Tourism Reform Program (E—TRP). This partnership is particularly timely with 2019 being an important year for the country as it hosts major events such as the Africa Cup of Nations and prepares for the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in 2020.

Key audiences ranging from families to independent adventurers and business travellers from key markets such as Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East are the focus for the CNN campaign. It will tap into the high interest in travel amongst CNN audiences, 66% of whom are personally interested in travel, with 50% travelling internationally each year*.

Innovation lies at the heart of the partnership through the utilisation of CNN’s sophisticated data capabilities and insight to reach these audiences. CNN will leverage its unique scale via TV networks as well as precision targeting across digital and social media to optimise a brand campaign showing the beauty of Egypt, its culture and people across these platforms as TV adverts, native advertising and targeted social media posts using Turner’s Launchpad technology to reach defined audiences.

To increase engagement with CNN’s audiences, advertising will be placed adjacent to relevant content such as CNN Travel on digital platforms, using first-party data to reach specific segments and engage with CNN’s audiences showing interest in editorial content about Egypt. CNN’s continued commitment to covering diverse stories about global destinations will continue with a range of truly inspirational CNN digital and TV programming about Egypt such as Destination Egypt , which will explore some of the country’s wonders in a new light; #MyEgypt , which will discover Egypt through a seasoned traveller with insider knowledge of the country; and Cairo POV, which looks at how millennial travellers uncover local experiences on their adventures.

“ The diversification of marketing and media platforms, a key pillar of the Egypt—Tourism Reform Program, contributes to the changing narrative of the sector. The combined appeal of the beauty of Egypt and warmth of our people is the foundation of the significant growth in our country’s tourism ,” said H.E. Dr Rania Al-Mashat . ” We see even greater potential in this sector, and are therefore partnering with CNN on this multi-platform initiative, peaking during periods of relevant content, to highlight everything that Egypt has to offer on a global stage. By working with CNN we know we are showcasing our country to a highly relevant and engaged audience with the means and passion to travel to new places. Moreover, bringing the future into Egypt’s tourism sector, our legacy, a sector full of history is key in this era of globalization .”

“ It excites me when we evolve a long-term relationship with a key partner into new and innovative areas ,” said Cathy Ibal , Vice President, CNN International Commercial. “ This new partnership takes our nation branding work with Egypt Ministry of Tourism to a new level by leveraging the cumulative impact of all CNN platforms, content and technology to ensure that the beauty of Egypt and its people resonates deeply with the right audiences. We look forward to working with Hon. Minister Rania Al-Mashat and her excellency’s team to implement this campaign for maximum impact .”

* Global Web Index (GWI) Q4 2017 – Q3 2018 (39 Markets)

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Egypt's tourism minister highlights new tourism reform programme at Davos

Ahram online , saturday 26 jan 2019.

Egypt’s Tourism Minister Rania Al-Mashat highlighted the country’s Tourism Reform Program (E-TRP) during her attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week.

“Just back from a very eventful and wonderful few days in Davos. This year as the WEF focused on the UN SDGs and sustainability, our Egypt-Tourism Reform Program was perfectly placed,” Al-Mashat said in a statement on Saturday.

The WEF, attended by an Egyptian delegation which included Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Investment and International Cooperation Minister Sahar Nasr, saw important talks on investment opportunities between the Egyptian officials and representatives from leading global companies, including Uber and Apple. 

Al-Mashat highlighted Egypt’s newly launched E-TRP, which seeks to introduce structural reforms to create a better business environment for travel companies in Egypt.

E-TRP was established late last year in an attempt to continue reviving a crucial tourism sector which was hit severely during the past years due to political and social unrest.

The programme includes administrative restructuring, a managerial reshuffle, and the empowerment of junior staff, the introduction of incentive programmes to boost the competitiveness of local operators, enhancing international relations, talking to international tourism institutions, community development, and securing international grants to develop the sector.

Al-Mashat said she had the opportunity to share the country’s visit with international financial institutions, development partners and private sector.

“I emphasised that for the first time, the UN Sustainable Development Goals are at the core of the tourism sector’s structural reform programme in Egypt (E-TRP),” she said, adding that she focused on global trends, the fifth pillar of the programme.

According to Al-Mashat ,10 percent of the country’s hotel rooms are aligned with a green star certification, pointing also at an major Egyptian hotel move to shift to solar energy generation in order to allow more resources to be used for the servicing of tourists.

“We are changing and the narrative on tourism and people are witnessing the changes first hand,” she concluded.

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Mashat presents tourism reform program

Egypt’s Minister of Tourism Rania al-Mashat held a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli on Thursday, presenting the ministry’s structure reform program as being part of the country’s plan for sustainability development.

Mashat added that the program aimed to raise competitiveness of the Egyptian tourist sector in line with the global tourist standards.

She clarified that the program would help in the recruitment of one person from every Egyptian family to enter the tourism sector.

The minister added that the program would focus on several aspects, including institutional reform, legislative reform, promotion and revitalization, infrastructure and investment, and keeping pace with modern tourist trends.

In April, Mashat stated that Egypt would be offering international investors the opportunity to develop sustainable cities along the Red Sea and Mediterranean coasts.

She added that Egypt will begin targeting new regions for tourism, such as Gabal Al-Galala in Ain Sokhna, as well as Al-Alamein in the North Coast, as part of the ministry’s tourist development strategy.

Mashat announced that the number of tourists visiting Egypt had jumped by 30 percent during the first quarter of 2018 compared to last year. The announcement came during a press conference on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market exhibition taking place in Dubai in April. Mashat added that tourism now represents 15 percent of the total sources of income for the national economy.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm  

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Cabinet reviews reform program of tourism sector development

• Friday، 28 December 2018 - 11:14 AM

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli presided over a meeting Thursday to discuss the structural reform program of the tourism sector development.

During the meeting, Minister of Tourism Rania al Mashat reviewed her ministry's vision to achieve sustainable tourism development and carry out reforms in the tourism sector with the aim of increasing the number of tourists and create more job opportunities.

Minister Mashat pointed out that the program focuses on a number of axes including legislative reform, activation of tourism, infrastructure and investment.

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Isobar wins Egyptian Tourism Promotion Board

Egypt sets sights on a data-driven digital content approach to tourism with dentsu aegis network digital agency as a partner.

Isobar, a global digital agency part of Dentsu Aegis Network, has been selected as the digital agency of record for the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Board (ETPB). Tasked with encouraging tourism to Egypt, Isobar will be driving digital strength and brand loyalty via a bespoke international social, content, experiential and digital media strategy across seventeen key markets including the GCC, China, Japan, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, India, USA, and the UK.

Working in partnership with ETPB, Isobar will help accelerate tourism growth by delivering personalised, seamless and memorable experiences that drive engagement, transaction and loyalty. Isobar will use a data-driven approach to create, distribute, measure and optimise content tailored to local audiences that showcases the beauty, hospitality and adventure to be found in Egypt.

To increase engagement with ETPB’s target audience, Isobar will leverage the power of data to deliver actionable insights across all relevant digital channels and touch points. M1 Panel, Dentsu Aegis’ proprietary global consumer research, uncovers the usage of specific communication channels and how they influence a customer’s decision making. It also includes comprehensive data on demographics, lifestyle habits and daily routines. When paired with third party data points and signals it provides a much deeper understanding of customer behaviour which will enable Isobar to develop contextually relevant content and digital experiences throughout the entire travel journey.

“The diversification of marketing and media platforms, a key pillar of the Egypt—Tourism Reform Program, contributes to the changing narrative of the sector. The combined appeal of the beauty of Egypt and warmth of our people is the foundation of the significant growth in our country’s tourism,” said H.E. Dr Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism.

Ziad Ghorayeb, Regional Managing Director of Isobar MENA, said: “ We are extremely proud to partner with Egypt Tourism on their social content, experiential and digital media assignment around the globe. The use of unconventional, forward thinking marketing is a vital theme in the Egypt Tourism Reform Program, and we are excited to be collaborating with ETPB to deliver this. Travelers today demand seamless end-to-end experiences, seeking content that inspires them and experiences that provide motivation to travel based on a desire for social connections, adventure and spontaneity. We look forward to working together to capture the hearts and minds of the world’s explorers looking for their next journey.”

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IMF / EGYPT

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STORY: IMF / EGYPT TRT: 03:12 SOURCE: IMF RESTRICTIONS: NONE LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS DATELINE: 01 APRIL 2024, WASHINGTON DC

RECENT - WASHINGTON DC

1. Wide shots, IMF building exterior.

01 APRIL 2024, WASHINGTON DC

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Ivanna Vladkova Hollar, IMF’s Mission Chief to Egypt: “On Friday, March 29th, the IMF Executive Board completed the first and second reviews of the Extended Fund Facility for Egypt and approved an augmentation of the original program by about $5 billion to $8 billion in total. This decision allows the authorities to immediately draw the equivalent of about $820 million. The Egyptian authorities have put together a strong economic stabilization plan to correct imbalances, some elements of which plan are already under implementation. This economic stabilization plan is centered on a liberalized foreign exchange system in the context of a flexible exchange rate regime, a significant tightening of both fiscal and monetary policy to support the adjustment in the exchange rate, a reduction in public investment broadly defined, and the implementation of reforms that would allow the private sector to become the engine of growth,” 3. Wide shot, journalists speaking. 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ivanna Vladkova Hollar, IMF’s Mission Chief to Egypt: “On exchange rate policy and the normalization of access to FX and the functioning of the FX market in such a way that, the price of foreign exchange is determined on the basis of market conditions and available to private sector firms and to individuals. This is an important reform that needs to be sustained. It's not a one-off reform. It's important for a liberalized foreign exchange system in the context of a flexible exchange rate to continue and therefore, going forward, at each individual review, the expectation is that the conditions that we're seeing now in the market, are going to continue to hold in the sense that we will not see a return to a system of FX rationing and lack of FX availability.” 5. Wide shot, press officer speaking. 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ivanna Vladkova Hollar, IMF’s Mission Chief to Egypt: “Egypt has indeed requested access under this long-term facility to address climate policies. And as a reminder, in order to proceed with and qualify for access under the RSF, member countries need to have in place a strong set of policies that, are intended to address the risks from climate change. We expect to start discussing these policies with the authorities at the time alongside of the third review, which, as we've discussed, will happen, in the next three months. And, of course, just like any other program approval the authorities request will be subject to approval by the executive Board.”

RECENT – Washington, DC

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the first and second reviews of Egypt’s Extended Fund Facility arrangement on Friday (29 Mar) and approved an augmentation of the original program by about US$5 billion (SDR 3.76 billion).

“On Friday, March 29th, the IMF Executive Board completed the first and second reviews of the Extended Fund Facility for Egypt and approved an augmentation of the original program by about $5 billion to $8 billion in total. This decision allows the authorities to immediately draw the equivalent of about $820 million. The Egyptian authorities have put together a strong economic stabilization plan to correct imbalances, some elements of which plan are already under implementation. This economic stabilization plan is centered on a liberalized foreign exchange system in the context of a flexible exchange rate regime, a significant tightening of both fiscal and monetary policy to support the adjustment in the exchange rate, a reduction in public investment broadly defined, and the implementation of reforms that would allow the private sector to become the engine of growth,” said Ivanna Vladkova Holler, IMF’s Mission Chief to Egypt.

Macroeconomic conditions since the approval of the program have been challenging, with rising inflation, foreign exchange shortages and elevated debt levels and financing needs. The authorities have significantly strengthened the reform package underlying the Extended Fund Facility arrangement, supported by an augmentation of access. Recent measures toward correcting macroeconomic imbalances, including unification of the exchange rate, clearance of the foreign exchange demand backlog, and significant tightening of monetary and fiscal policies, were difficult, but critical steps forward.

“On exchange rate policy and the normalization of access to FX and the functioning of the FX market in such a way that, the price of foreign exchange is determined on the basis of market conditions and available to private sector firms and to individuals. This is an important reform that needs to be sustained. It's not a one-off reform. It's important for a liberalized foreign exchange system in the context of a flexible exchange rate to continue and therefore, going forward, at each individual review, the expectation is that the conditions that we're seeing now in the market, are going to continue to hold in the sense that we will not see a return to a system of FX rationing and lack of FX availability,” added Hollar.

The Egyptian authorities requested a Resilience and Sustainability Facility arrangement from the IMF. The IMF team will start the 3rd EFF program review and RSF arrangement discussions with the authorities in the next three months.

“Egypt has indeed requested access under this long-term facility to address climate policies. And as a reminder, in order to proceed with and qualify for access under the RSF, member countries need to have in place a strong set of policies that, are intended to address the risks from climate change. We expect to start discussing these policies with the authorities at the time alongside of the third review, which, as we've discussed, will happen, in the next three months. And, of course, just like any other program approval the authorities request will be subject to approval by the executive Board,” said Hollar.

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UPDATE 2-IMF ties Egypt loan disbursements to currency flexibility

(Adds additional details from news conference, background)

By Nafisa Eltahir and Patrick Werr

CAIRO, April 1 (Reuters) - The IMF will tie payments to Egypt under an $8 billion financial program to Cairo's letting market conditions determine the price of its currency and its making foreign exchange available to businesses and private individuals, the IMF said on Monday.

Egypt, which signed the loan agreement on March 6, will have immediate access to $820 million this week and another $820 million after a review to be completed by the end of June.

Subsequent reviews will be made every six months, with each unlocking payments of $1.3 billion provided certain conditions are met, with the last payment in autumn of 2026, mission chief Ivanna Vladkova Hollar told a news conference.

The International Monetary Fund's executive board approved the program on Friday, expanding on a $3 billion Extended Fund Facility signed in December 2022 after the crisis in neighboring Gaza further shook Egypt's already precarious economy.

Egypt allowed its currency to weaken sharply after the 2022 agreement, but within months had re-pegged it to the dollar, prompting the IMF to put the program on hold.

Under last month's agreement Egypt again let its currency plunge and has since let its price fluctuate.

"This is an important reform that needs to be sustained. It's not a one-off reform," Hollar said.

"At each individual review, the expectation is that the conditions that we're seeing now in the market are going to continue to hold, in the sense that we do not see a return to a system of FX rationing and lack of FX availability," she said.

The Gaza crisis exacerbated Egypt's chronic foreign crisis by slowing tourism growth and triggering attacks from Yemen on shipping in the Red Sea, halving Suez Canal revenue. Tourism and canal revenue are two of its main sources of foreign exchange.

Among other reforms the IMF is seeking is that Egypt ensure a level playing field between private and state firms and that the state reduce its role in the economy.

An additional loan from the IMF's Resilience and Sustainability Facility would be discussed during the next review, Vladkova Hollar said.

"To qualify, countries need to have in place a strong set of policies that are intended to address the bases of climate change," she added.

The IMF forecasts that Egypt's inflation will remain high in the near term, with average inflation for the coming fiscal year, which begins on July 1, expected at 25.5%, falling to 15.25% by the end of that year, she said. Inflation rose to a record high of 38% in September before easing in February to 35%.

The country, whose budget has been stretched in recent years, needs to replace untargeted fuel subsidies with targeted spending designed to reach households in need, she added.

Egypt raised fuel prices late last month as part of a program to reduce subsidies. Fuel subsidies would continue to fall as part of Egypt's quarterly pricing committee meetings, Hollar said. (Reporting by Patrick Werr and Nafisa Eltahir; Additional reporting by Jana Choukeir and Clauda Tanios; Editing by Alison Williams, Barbara Lewis, Alexandra Hudson)