An introductory trip will be organized for retail companies within October and a major ceremony will be organized to mark the sun rays' perpendicular fall over a statue of King Ramses II at Abu Simbel temple in the presence of senior French figures, the minister added.

The minister said that Egypt will participate in the International French Travel Market (IFTM Top Resa); the largest international exhibition for tourism and travel in Paris.

He added that the ministry supports charter flights going to Luxor, along with completing the development work at Luxor port by the ministry within the next three months.

An international major campaign was launched to promote Egyptian tourism on foreign markets for the next three years, the minister told the French tour operators.

He said that 25 percent of the campaign will be allocated to cultural tourism to restore movement in Luxor and Aswan.

The campaign will use new means of propaganda along with a public relations campaign to improve the image of Egypt abroad, he added.

For their part, tour operators said that the economic problems faced by the French citizen in addition to the recent terror attacks in Tunisia has led to slow booking rates in the French market.

Meanwhile, the minister was interviewed by the editor in chief of French Class Tourisme magazine and the international news official of Le Monde.

He said that the Osiris exhibition will undoubtedly contribute to bringing in more French tourists to Egypt and shed light on Egypt's north coast area, as one of Important destinations the ministry is keen on developing.

Some tourism products, including golf, desert safari and eco-tourism represent value-added products for Egypt's main tourist areas as beaches and cultural tourism, the minister said.

The minister added that the Egyptian government spares no effort to ensure the protection of tourists and tourist facilities.

Source: MENA