The Executive Director of UN Tourism, Natalia Bayona, affirmed that Egypt—a country rich in history and civilization—is achieving and sustaining “exceptional performance” within the tourism sector.
In an interview with Al-Masry Al-Youm on the sidelines of the organization’s General Assembly meetings in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, Bayona hailed the opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), calling it “amazing.”
■What is the status of tourism in the Middle East region?
The Middle East region, before the start of the Gaza war, was pivotal and achieving exceptional performance in tourism movement and visitor numbers.
Egypt, for example, is a country rich in history and civilization, and I truly believe in the strength of Egyptian history and heritage.
The country has attained and continues to achieve excellent and exceptional performance in the tourism sector.
There are cruises within the Nile River, and new ways are being innovated to present Egyptian cultural heritage, among which is the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).
Everything Egypt does for tourism is a beacon of hope, and more than that, provides a better outlook toward the future.
Regarding Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, these countries are also achieving growth at a very rapid pace and are among the best-performing tourist destinations in the world.
There are many good things happening in the region: we had the FIFA World Cup hosted in Qatar, the Expo held in Dubai, and in the coming years, it will be held in Saudi Arabia, as well as Formula 1 races, equestrian championships, and the Web Summit.
I could go on for a long while because this is truly an important time.
I assure you that the region has a very important role to play. It has succeeded in terms of diversification and placing tourism at the center of attention.
■How did you view the opening of the GEM?
The opening was truly amazing.
I live in Madrid because our headquarters as an organization is in the Spanish capital, Madrid. So it was wonderful to see such a huge global presence at the GEM’s opening.
I saw King Felipe VI of Spain, many presidents and prime ministers, and many high-level international figures attending the opening.
This large presence gives Egypt an enormous amount of visibility.
I will also point out here that the new Director-General of UNESCO is from Egypt, and he was the former Minister of Tourism.
Therefore, tourism and culture are linked through him. We are not just wishing for the best, but I know we will work together as two organizations to achieve a better future for the world’s various peoples within tourism and culture.
The opening was a truly great moment to highlight the beautiful things happening in Egypt.
■How do you view the importance of holding the UN Tourism Organization meetings in the Saudi capital, Riyadh?
I believe it is very important for us to be in Riyadh because it is a vibrant city full of innovation.
New things are happening here every day. Ultimately, the country is looking towards its Vision 2030, which is full of innovation, education, and investments to diversify the economy away from the traditional economy through tourism, and this represents a major advantage.
Saudi Arabia is an example of growth and transformation.
Therefore, the presence of more than 150 delegations from around the world here gives hope to Saudis, and it also gives them the strength to continue moving forward in this field.
I would like to note here that the General Assembly meets every two years, so it is a great time to celebrate.
■What about the status of tourism in Africa?
Tourism is growing at a fast pace in Africa, and there are a lot of investments in the luxury sector.
This year, for example, the ‘Cheval Blanc’ hotel opened in Seychelles.
There are a lot of new investments within the luxury field, but combined with heritage. There are also many new safari trips, new honeymoon spots, and new methods to develop culinary arts.
I was recently in Zambia and have visited Africa about eight times this year alone.
Soon, we will open a thematic office for the UN Tourism Organization focused on innovation and startups. We are helping Nigeria with creative industries. We are also working with South Africa on promoting investment, and with Zambia and Zimbabwe on vocational education and building academies everywhere.
Therefore, all countries on the African continent consider tourism a top priority.
Tourism is not just important; it is vital for achieving development, because ultimately, when you see investments everywhere, the region’s growth increases not only in terms of the number of tourists but also in terms of investments in infrastructure and education.
■Thoughts on the future of tourism in the age of artificial intelligence?
Humanity first.
