The Sharm El Sheikh International Conference Center in Egypt will host from May 20-21 the first edition of African Tourism Forum 2024 (ATF24Egypt), and more than 2,000 professionals of the tourism industry are expected to attend.

Organised by GMT Fair and Rixos Hotels Egypt, the forum will bring together industry specialists and investors, who will work to enhance cooperation, discuss sector developments, explore tourism opportunities in Africa and Egypt and strengthen vital connections in the sector.

It will offer participants innovative ideas through conferences, panels and B2B meetings, and specialised courses.

Selçuk Meral, Chairman of the Board of Directors of GMT Fuarcılık, said: “Launching the African Tourism Forum in Sharm El Sheikh aims to create added value for the tourism sector, professionals, investors, and dynamics, paving the way for new perspectives and providing a platform for business and information exchange most effectively, much like the Antalya Tourism Fair in Turkey, which has been ongoing for five years.”

Erkan Yıldırım, CEO and Managing Director of Rixos Hotels Egypt, said: “It is a great honour for Rixos Hotels Egypt to sponsor the African Tourism Forum, the first of its kind in Africa and Egypt.

“At Rixos Hotels Egypt, we see this opportunity as a significant responsibility in shaping the future of tourism, extending beyond providing luxury accommodations; we aim to add great value to both the tourism sectors in Egypt and Africa by enhancing cooperation, innovation, and communication.”

"We are working together to create a future where tourism and travel rates increase, celebrating the beauty of each destination. Starting in 2025, this forum will become an annual tradition aimed at celebrating diversity and enhancing the prosperity of the tourism industry in Egypt and Africa.”

ATF24Egypt is the first edition of the Africa Tourism Fair, set to become one of the largest tourism fairs in Egypt and Africa.

This event will assist leading brands in the sector in shaping their plans for 2024-2025, focusing on key advantages of the tourism sector such as economic growth, employment, and revenue generation.

GMT Fair, which introduced a new concept of exhibitions exclusively focused on business meetings for tourism professionals, initiated the ATF Forums series in 2019 with the Antalya Tourism Fair.

ATF began in 2019 to bring together tourism professionals, investors, opinion leaders, policymakers, and decision-makers at the national and international levels with on-site marketing principles, hosting individual business meetings with over 20,000 professional participants and 2,000 travel agencies with official invitations every October. TradeArabia News Service