Pep Guardiola’s 8-day family vacation boosts Egypt’s tourism industry

CAIRO: Pep Guardiola, manager of English Premier League and European football champions Manchester City, is enjoying a summer vacation in Egypt with his family, a visit that is expected to provide a significant boost to the country’s tourism industry.
Amr Al-Qadi, CEO of Egyptian General Authority for Tourism Promotion, told Arab News that Cairo International Airport quietly welcomed the celebrated Spanish coach and his family on Thursday evening.
Guardiola will spend two days in Cairo, followed by six days exploring Luxor and Aswan.
According to Al-Qadi, the visit by such a high-profile individual will have a significant influence on the international tourist markets targeted by Egypt.
“This includes the Spanish market, which has witnessed robust growth in incoming tourism during the first half of this year,” he said.
Nisreen Othmanli, director of the offices of the Egyptian General Authority for Tourism Promotion, was part of the welcoming committee at Cairo International Airport.
She said a few members of her office joined her in greeting the internationally acclaimed coach.
“We welcomed him with flowers, souvenirs and promotional material about various Egyptian tourist and archaeological sites,” Othmanli told Arab News.
Guardiola began his eight-day visit in Cairo, and his itinerary will end in Abu Simbel in the Aswan governorate.
Othmanli said Guardiola and his family were invited to a luncheon in a hotel overlooking the Giza pyramids.
She said they were also gifted a replica of King Tutankhamun’s mask as a memento.
The family are also planning a Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan, while their visit will culminate with a trip to the famed Abu Simbel temple in Aswan.
While in Cairo, Guardiola visited the National Museum of Civilization in Fustat and marveled at the museum’s impressive collection of artifacts, representing Egyptian civilization.
Ahmed Effat, a tourism and archaeological expert, told Arab News that Guardiola toured the Salah Al-Din Al-Ayyubi Citadel.
“Guardiola expressed his awe for the Muhammad Ali Mosque and its magnificent domes and minarets, a true architectural masterpiece,” Effat said.
Salah Atris, owner of the company that organized Guardiola’s trip, highlighted the significant impact of his visit.
“Guardiola had offers from several countries for his summer vacation, but he ultimately chose Egypt as his destination,” Atris said.
He said that Guardiola’s visit will help the Egyptian tourism market.
“Guardiola is internationally famous and has millions of followers on social media. His visit to Egypt will likely boost the country’s visibility as a tourist destination,” Atris said.

Pep Guardiola’s 8-day family vacation boosts Egypt’s tourism industry