Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy met on Tuesday with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković during his visit to Sarajevo. This visit is the first by an Egyptian minister in 15 years.
The two sides discussed ways to strengthen relations and open new avenues for co-operation in various sectors.
Konaković praised the enduring friendship between the two countries, expressing gratitude for Egypt’s support across various fields. He underlined tourism’s pivotal role in Bosnia’s economy, noting that the country has welcomed a record number of visitors this year. Recalling his own trip to Egypt as a tourist ten years ago, the Bosnian foreign minister voiced enthusiasm for a return visit.
The two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to expanding co-operation, particularly in tourism. Proposals included streamlining visa procedures, increasing direct flights, and promoting each country as a prime destination in the other’s market. They also explored collaboration in antiquities, with Egypt offering its expertise in artifact restoration and museum management to bolster Bosnia’s cultural heritage initiatives.
During his visit, Minister Fathy held high-level discussions with a wide range of Bosnian tourism officials — including municipal leaders and representatives from tourism organisations, travel agencies, promotional bodies, and airport authorities. Talks focused on practical measures to boost visitor numbers from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Egypt’s world-renowned attractions.
Fathy stressed the private sector’s pivotal role in driving tourism growth, prompted by government investments in infrastructure, improved business conditions, and international promotional campaigns designed to enhance Egypt’s global competitiveness. He outlined Egypt’s tourism strategy to position the country as a top-tier global destination, offering cultural and beach holidays, adventure travel, spiritual retreats, and iconic Nile cruises.
Expanding hospitality capacity is a core objective, the minister of tourism said. “Egypt aims to double its hotel room inventory by 2030, with 18,000 new rooms scheduled for completion this year — 6,000 of which are already operational,” Minister Fathy said. The government is also regulating the vacation home sector to ensure high standards of quality, safety, and comfort, he added.
To attract more international visitors, Egypt is hosting major events and concerts in destinations such as New Alamein, Sharm El-Sheikh, and the Pyramids of Giza, Minister Fathy said, proposing the organisation of fam trips for tourism professionals and influencers from both countries, alongside joint workshops and marketing campaigns.
For their part, Bosnian tourism leaders welcomed the Egyptian delegation warmly, expressing strong interest in developing new travel packages to increase tourist flows from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Egypt.
