Nostos initiative to return Greek tourists to Egypt

CAIRO – 31 January 2018: Egypt’ s Minister of Immigration and Emigration Nabila Makram has launched the Nostos initiative, which will be active by the beginning of March 2018, to invite second and third generation Egyptians who live abroad, to visit Egypt’s touristic attractions.

Minister Nabila Makram will travel to Greece on February 16, 2018 to confirm the arrival of Greeks and Cypriots to Egypt. She also added that they had visited the Suez Canal before, as they consider Egypt their second homeland that had been built by the participation of their ancestors, according to Makram’s reports to local press.


1- Alexandria in the winter - CC via Wikimedia Commons


The Nostos initiative comes as a part of the diaspora program signed between Egypt, Cyprus and Greece, which aims to gather Cypriots and Greeks or their descendants in Alexandria for a return trip to the place where they or their ancestors once lived.

Signing this program is considered by many to be a historic moment for the three countries, since it was the first time that cooperation on diaspora was achieved and also the first time that the three countries decided on a common strategy and joint actions.

“There has already been strong interest from Greeks and Cypriots who wish to participate in the project,” said Makram.

The protocol of cooperation between the three countries for the diaspora program was signed in December 2017 at the presidential palace in Nicosia, Cyprus and hosted by Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Overseas Affairs Fotis Fotiou.

The diaspora program and its subsidiary Nostos initiative will be one of the most useful tools in developing diaspora tourism in Egypt and adequately boosting the struggling tourism sector in Egypt.