Cairo: The Egyptian Tourism Promotion Board has a new Chairman, with Dr Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism, appointing Mr Ahmed Yousef to lead the organisation.  

Mr Yousef has previous worked for various multi-national companies including Sony Electronics, ExxonMobil and global biotech company Syngenta, working on marketing and brand strategies at each.

He holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and a Masters of Business Administration.

Mr Yousef begins the new role with immediate effect following the resignation of his predecessor Hisham El Demery last month.

-Ends-

Cairo: The colossal 11 metre high statue of King Ramses II - crafted 3,200 years ago and weighing 75 tonnes – today moved to its new permanent home in the grand entrance hall of the Grand Egyptian Museum, opening in November.

The first artefact to be put in position in the long-awaited new museum, the figure of Ramses II will be one of 100,000 relics housed within its walls when it officially opens later this year. Additional facilities will open in the coming years, with the last due to open in 2022.

Designed to be an architectural masterpiece, the founding stone of the museum was laid in February 2002, with the opening in November to include the grand Atrium, the Grand Staircase and the Tutankhamun Hall.

Hailed as one of the most powerful and influential rulers of ancient Egypt, Ramses II was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt, taking the throne in 1279 BC and ruling for 66 years until his death in 1213 BC. Known for his architectural endeavours, most notably the construction of the Ramesseum and the temples of Abu Simbel, Ramses II's time in power saw the creation of more monuments than any other ancient Egyptian pharaoh.

The statue, which was first discovered at Mit Rahina archaeological site in 1820 by the Italian adventurer Giovanni Caviglia, has now been moved four times to various locations across the country. These include Ramses Square in Cairo in 1955, under late president Gamal Abdel Nasser and the headquarters of the Grand Egyptian Museum in 2006, when former Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni called for the move to protect the monument from pollution. 

The Grand Egyptian Museum is sited on 120 acres of land approximately two kilometers from the Giza pyramids and forms part of a new master plan for the plateau. For more information visit https://gem.gov.eg/

-Ends-

 Cairo: The Egyptian Parliament has approved the appointment of Rania Al-Mashat as the country’s new Minister of Tourism, making her the first woman to hold the position and one of six women to currently occupy ministerial roles – the nation’s highest proportion ever.

Replacing Yahya Rashid, who took over the post from Hisham Zaazou in March 2016, the changeover is a result of a cabinet reshuffle, in which four ministerial posts have been filled with new faces.

Al-Mashat brings a wealth of economic and political experience to the role, having previously served as a senior economic adviser to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and as the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt. She was the youngest person ever to hold such a position in both organisations.

She is credited with making a significant contribution to modernising Egypt’s monetary policy, particularly during the governmental reform programme post-2011.

Al-Mashat attained a BA in Economics from the American University in Cairo in 1995 and a Master of Economics from the University of Maryland-College Park in the US in 1998. She then obtained a PhD in Economics from the same university in 2001.

In line with Egypt’s new campaign for 2018, the new minister is expected to capitalise on renewed and growing interest in the destination by implementing a coherent strategy of policy-making. She will manage cooperation with investors, placing a focus on marketing, as well as the training and development of employees in the tourism sector.

According to insiders, the first appointments with investors have already taken place, with all involved parties very satisfied with the opening discussions.

The Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau will be hosting a press conference on Friday, 14th of August 2015 at 5 pm (at 4 Chesterfield Gardens, Mayfair, London, W1J 5BG) to launch the event CAROCAP (Cairo to Cape Town in 30 – 40 days by bicycle)  from 8th October  through the 16th of November 2015.

The cycling tour will start in Cairo and conclude in Cape Town and passing numerous countries mainly Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

The event will be broadcasting to 400 million households worldwide.  The cyclists’ team will include participants from Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, UK and the USA.

The main objectives of CAROCAP are to set the record for the fastest human powered crossing of the African continent from the  Giza Pyramids in Cairo to the shadow of Table Mountain in Cape Town, set the standard for all future record attempts,  raise funding to purchase Buffalo bikes for students through World Bicycle Relief and produce a film to showcase cycling and how it contributes to improving economic and educational prospects in Africa.

As the event is starting in Cairo, Egypt, this simply portrays Egypt being a hub to Africa and other major tourist destinations, which offers a Diaspora of unique experiences and hospitality. “Egypt, Live the Magic”.

You are cordially invited to join us in our launch and to savour what these countries have to offer.

Please RSVP: info@gotoegypt.org, tel: 020 3771 8921
 

Egypt is proud to announce the completion of construction of the new Suez Canal extension, a multi-billion project that will boost the country’s trade and economy.

The new project was completed in one year, as has been pledged by Egyptian President El-Sisi and his aides, and will be officially opened on Thursday 6th of August 2015.

The massive project adds 35 Kms of new channels and 37 waterways in order to allow the passage of larger ships.

The new inauguration will take place with an elaborate ceremony and will be attended by VIP’s from around the world.

On a parallel note, both Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities have visited the water springs Ayoum Moussa, in Ras Sidr, situated on the Gulf of Suez (and where it’s believed to be the spring where Moses, after leading the Israelites across the Red Sea, turned a bitter spring into a sweet one, by throwing a branch into it, as instructed by God).

Minister of Tourism, Khaled Ramy, stated that the opening of the new Suez Canal will coincide with the development and re-innovation of the area in order to attract new visitors and boost the country’s glory and grandeur.

They also wrapped up their tour by inaugurating a temporary exhibition of the Suez Canal Museum titled “The Suez Canal: Sailing in deep history” and which houses excavations of The Tripod during the period 1930-1932 representing the late Batlamic era, the exhibition displays rare decorative pieces, jewellery and icons of religious beliefs.

Egyptair Express has launched new domestic routes between Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada to start from 15th of August with a frequency of 3 weekly flights on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at prices starting from L.E. 414  (exclusive of taxes).

On a different note, the company started operating flights from Cairo to Marsa Matrouh with two weekly flights on Sundays and Thursdays.

Egyptair Express already operates 77 weekly flights from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh and 62 weekly flights from Cairo to Hurghada