I was invited to be a Keynote Speaker at the Narrative PR Summit in partnership with the Arab Sustainable Development Week this year in Cairo, Egypt. They flew me over so that I could discuss responsible tourism — the importance of sustainability in Egypt’s tourism sector, and the ways that we could help empower women in the region.
Took the stage to discuss responsible tourism in Egypt!
The thing is, by 2030 consumer spending on tourism, hospitality, and recreation in Africa is said to reach about $262 billion. But how much of that will be dedicated toward responsible tourism efforts? Travel is the biggest industry in the world, and for many countries, it’s their largest source of revenue as it is for Egypt. And, because of that, it’s important that each sector in the industry helps prop each other up.
Agriculture, tourism, and natural resources are Egypt’s largest economic sectors and there are many ways in which we better integrate the principles behind responsible tourism. Today we have the opportunity to capitalize on the growing eco-tourism boom, and not just on the existing interest in Egypt’s history. There is a big – and service-intensive – industry that is being overlooked, which could offer ample opportunities for training, education, and economic development in some of the most rural areas. By focusing on responsible travel, we can fuel tourism and, in turn, revenue to the country.
Introducing the AWE Campaign to help increase female tourist numbers!
While it’s incredible that tourism revenue has increased 28% in Egypt this year, we want to accelerate that economic impact while ensuring that revenues are redirected toward local initiatives including gender empowerment and conservation efforts.
From the desert to the coast to the riverbanks to the wetlands, we have the privilege of highlighting the beauty of Egypt responsibly by fostering a deep connection to the natural environment and the local people.
Interested in learning more about the responsible tourism efforts in Egypt?
Watch my full Keynote speech below!
You can checkout other coverage of the event, featuring various interviews with me and quotes from me, below:
Ready to tackle my talk on responsible tourism and national branding!
