CAIRO, October 18. /Dunyo IA/.   Several leading Egyptian media outlets have published articles highlighting efforts to expand tourism cooperation between Uzbekistan and Egypt, increase tourist exchanges and promote the two countries’ rich historical, cultural and religious heritage internationally, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

In particular, publications including “Al Diplomasy”, “Eldameer”, “Al-Muntasaf”, “Almsaey”, “Altaqrernews” and “Albawabhnews” have described tourism as a promising area of strategic partnership between the two countries and highlighted a range of initiatives aimed at its development.

Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Egypt Mansurbek Kilichev, highlighted the reforms underway in Uzbekistan to modernise tourism infrastructure, preserve historical and cultural heritage, and create favourable conditions for international visitors. The introduction of an electronic visa facility for Egyptian citizens was also noted as an important step towards developing tourism, business and cultural exchanges.

Articles focus heavily on utilizing the shared Islamic heritage of Uzbekistan and Egypt. It is proposed to develop religious and enlightenment tourism by connecting Cairo’s Al-Azhar Al-Sharif with the heritage of Imam Bukhari, Imam Tirmidhi, and Imam Maturidi in Uzbekistan.

In this regard, “Umrah Plus” programs are of great importance, allowing pilgrimage trips to be combined with visits to historical cities, architectural monuments, and cultural sites. The prospects for attracting Egyptian tourists to Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Tashkent, as well as developing joint tourism programs between the tour operators of the two countries, are also highlighted.

Chairman of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan Islomiddin Sirojiddinov, presented the country's tourism potential, emphasizing that mountainous areas, winter resorts, historical monuments, and national culture are highly attractive destinations for Egyptian tourists.

It is proposed to promote destinations such as Chimgan, Amirsoy, Charvak, Zaamin National Park, Samarkand and Khiva, organize familiarization trips for Egyptian tour operators and journalists, and prepare promotional materials in the Arabic language.

According to the articles, Uzbekistan received 11.7 million visitors last year, and the tourist inflow grew by 25 percent in the first half of the current year.

Representatives of the Egyptian side also noted the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two countries, exchanging experience, interconnecting tourist routes, and improving the quality of services. Nasser Turki, Vice Chairman of the Egyptian Federation of Tourist Chambers, identified the development of air services and the simplification of visa procedures as key conditions for the success of joint tourism programs.

Hakan Şahin, Vice President of the Umrah Plus International Tourism Association (UPITA) announced plans to attract between 100,000 and 150,000 Uzbek tourists to Egypt in 2027 and to organize an international tourism exhibition in Cairo on June 6–7^th.