CAIRO: Egypt's Minister of Tourism, Mounir Fakhri Abdel Nour, is headed to Saudi Arabia on Saturday for a two-day visit. The minister will hold discussions with Saudi Arabian officials to ease pilgrimage procedures for Egyptian citizens. They will also discuss ways to encourage Saudi Arabian tourists to visit Egypt. Before leaving for Cairo Airport, Abdel Nour said he will meet with Saudi Arabia's Minister of Pilgrimage, Dr. Fouad Bin Abdel Salam, to discuss preparation measures for the pilgrimage season. Abdel Nour will hold a meeting with the trade chambers and workers of tourism sector. Abdel Nour will also meet with the Chairman of the Saudi Tourism Authority, Prince Sultan Bin Salman, on Sunday to encourage Saudi Arabian tourists to visit Egypt. Abdel Nour said the current situation in the Arab world affects not only Egypt's tourism but also tourism in all Arab states, including Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. He expressed cautious optimism over Egypt's tourism, especially as the Sinai Peninsula witnessed a notable increase of Jordanian tourists and expects more tourists from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
