Egypt’s participation in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai remains significant despite ongoing political and security challenges in the region, according to Haitham Arafa, a board member of the Egyptian Travel Agents Association. He emphasized that Egypt’s presence at the exhibition helps maintain its visibility in key Arab source markets, although recent postponements and logistical changes have impacted the scale of its participation.
Arafa pointed out that the repeated postponements since April are linked to regional developments, and holding the next event in April could pose additional challenges due to the short interval between editions and competition from other tourism expos in Europe and the UK.
Maintaining a smaller yet strategic presence at Dubai remains crucial, as the market continues to generate inbound tourism. He highlighted opportunities for Egypt to increase its share of Arab tourism, despite strong competitors such as Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Additionally, long-haul markets like the US and Australia could present growth avenues, as travelers often combine multiple destinations in their itineraries.
Flights to Egypt via Dubai and Qatar are still operational but have seen significant declines amid regional geopolitical tensions, which influence international travel decisions. A considerable segment of Asian tourists traveling through Gulf countries also faces uncertainty, potentially affecting Egypt’s tourism flows.
Regarding workforce development, Arafa noted that Egypt has enhanced capabilities to serve Arab and European visitors. Nevertheless, labor shortages remain a critical issue. Current training programs aim to improve skills among existing staff, but attracting young Egyptians to the industry is challenging due to perceptions of limited job stability.
