In an effort to take a deeper look at the Slow Tourism Sector in Egypt, we sat down with Med Pearls Advisory Board Member and Tourism Expert, Mr. Hussein Shoukry. Mr. Shoukry is a highly experienced Hospitality Management professional with over 35 years of experience, an exceptional track record of initiating changes, remarkable experience in rebranding, restoring and repositioning hotel properties to maximize market position, profitability, and crafting the vision, strategy, and action plans to achieve sustainable growth. 

Mr. Shoukry, who is supporting the Med Pearls team in Egypt, participated in the 2^nd Med Pearls BRIDGE Event, which was held in Barcelona in early March 2022. When asked about his participation, Mr. Shoukry stated that: “It was an excellent chance to discover the slow Tourism Trends and to find the criteria and the requirements for creating Slow Travel packages and experiences in different destinations”. 

The concept of Slow Tourism evolved from the slow food movement that began in Italy in the late 1980s and has grown in popularity over the years; however, for many southern Mediterranean countries, the concept may still seem novel. So, we asked Mr. Shoukry about his thoughts and how important it is for Destination Management Companies and travel agencies, particularly in Egypt, to incorporate the concept of Slow Tourism into their services: “It is critical as a fresh concept for Egypt. We are working on a huge project called ‘Holy Family Journey’, which is a novel idea that will cover the worldwide sustainable tourism market by creating a demand for seasonal vacation packages centered on culture, including elements of slow tourism which will ultimately revolutionize the tourism business development”, he responded. 

When asked if the Egyptian market is ready for the spread or increasing popularity of Slow Tourism Mr. Shoukry stated, "The Egyptian market may appear unready, but our country is establishing a new strategy for transportation, accommodation, and sustainability to help the Tourism Sector." Slow Tourism is clearly gaining popularity, owing to the impending change in the industry as a result of the COVID-19 scenario on one hand and the support of projects such as Med Pearls on another, but can Slow Tourist coexist with traditional tourism, or is it either one or the other? "Yes, slow tourism and traditional tourism work hand in hand since they address the same sectors of travelers," Mr. Shoukry remarked. 

Lastly, we asked Mr. Shokry what he thought were the top three destinations in Egypt right now for a fantastic Slow Tourism experience, and he chose Gabal al Tair (Minya), the Monastery of Al-Muharsaq (Mount of Qussqam), Assiut, and Saint Catherine. We are READY to go, are you?    

Learn more about Slow Tourism and the great efforts of the Med Pearls project to internationally position the Mediterranean as a unique and integral destination to experience Slow Tourism right here: https://enicbcmed.eu/projects/med-pearls 

Check regularly: www.enicbcmed.eu/projects/med-pearls

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