Egypt hopes to refashion tourist industry in style
Egypt is turning to the world of fashion to reinvent its threadbare tourism business.
On Sept. 5, Egypt will host a festival in Cairo titled "Egypt: The Capital of Arab Fashion." There are already a number of well-attended fashion events in Egypt, but this will be the first to focus on fashion as a way to attract tourists.
It's not news that Egypt's tourism industry has been devastated, but the actual numbers make people sit up and take notice. The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics issued a report in late July showing that the number of tourists who visited Egypt from all over the world in June plunged 59.9% to 328,600, compared with 820,000 tourists in June 2015.
Given the protracted decline of the industry, due to a slew of security issues and political disputes, people have been searching for creative ways to revive tourism — something other than the lure of monuments and beaches. The fashion festival is expected to create buzz while touting the heritage and fashion that characterizes all Egyptian governorates.
The festival will welcome renowned fashion designers, public figures, ministers and artists from various Arab countries. Egyptian designers will display their creative fashions, with many presenting new takes on traditional pieces from various regions, such as Nubian styles from Upper Egypt and historical pharaonic attire, as well as modern fashion.
