Tourism minister discusses cooperation with Germany

CAIRO - 8 April 2018: Tourism Minister Rania el Mashat and Red Sea Governor Ahmed Abdallah conferred on Sunday with German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Gerd Müller on means of promoting cooperation in the field of vocational and technical training as well as benefiting from Germany's expertise in the tourism sector.

A statement released by the Ministry of Toursim on Sunday said Mashat congratulated Müller on being chosen to retain his post for a second term in office by the German federal government.

She urged the minister to release the German aviation companies from the obligation to fly at 26,000 feet above South Sinai with the aim of activating tourism to the area.

She also called on him to reassess the taxes imposed on German tourists heading for Egypt which is valued at 27 euros and to make it equal to taxes imposed on other tourist destinations such as Turkey for instance.

The Egyptian minister said she discussed these issues before with a number of German officials during her participation in Berlin Tourism Bourse, which was held on March 7 to 11.

Müller is currently spending a vacation in Hurghada city and expressed happiness over his stay in the Red Sea resort.

Red Sea Governor Ahmed Abdallah presented the governorate's shield to the German minister in appreciation of the continued cooperation with the German side.