Egypt's new tourism minister Dr Rania Al Mashat, who took up her role in January, and is the first female ever to be the country’s tourism minister, said “Egypt wants to show the world that it is a tourist destination like no other and now is the time for travellers to visit the country as we build on a strong performance in 2017, both in terms of visitor numbers and revenue.”

Dr Al-Mashat aims to highlight Egypt’s efforts to build partnerships with the travel trade in the GCC and promote the country’s commitment to a safe, secure and enjoyable destination for tourists.

Arab tourism represents around 30 per cent of total tourists to Egypt with the lion share being from the GCC, and the future outlook is positive according to the Minister, with the first quarter this year witnessing a steep increase in tourist numbers.

Al-Mashat said: “Egypt has always enjoyed long-standing and unbreakable ties with the rest of the Arab nations and we aim to enhance further that historical relationship.

“We have taken and continue to take the necessary steps to make Egypt a destination where visitors are safe and secure and where businesses can operate with confidence. The future looks positive but we will not be complacent. We have committed to build a resilient foundation which will ensure a sustainable future for Egyptian tourism.”

Dr Al Mashat rose to prominence in Egypt as one of the country’s main architects of economic reform following the 2011 revolution. A trained economist, she has held senior roles at the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC and the Central Bank of Egypt.

The Egyptian Tourist Authority (ETA) will have a major presence at ATM to demonstrate its future plans to attract more people to enjoy the range of attractive holiday packages on offer in the country. New huge developments are currently under construction on the Mediterranean coast which the ETA believes will appeal to visitors from the Gulf region.