Hisham Zaazou

Former Minister of Tourism of Egypt

Zaazou, started his career in Banking (Citi Bank Cairo) after his graduation in 1976 from the faculty of commerce – Ain- Shams University, traveled to the USA (Los Angeles) 1980 to start his career in tourism by joining R&H Voyages, a tour operator specialized in the Middle East.

After a successful Career in the private sector, both as an international tour operator ( USA ) and as professional ground handler (in Egypt ), culminated his private sector as the Executive Director of Egyptian Tourism Federation (ETF).  Zaazou joined the Government as Assistant Minister of tourism in 2007 promoted to senior Assistant Minister of tourism in 2009 (Being the first to assume this position in the history of the ministry of tourism).

Zaazou became Minister of Tourism of Egypt in 2012 till 2016 and served as Tourism Minister under three presidents and four prime minister.

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We are experienced in working for a wide range of public and private tourism clients including international tourism agencies, tourism Ministries, DMOs, travel companies, conservation bodies, private developers, etc

 

Biography

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After his departure from public office in 2016, Zaazou returned to the private sector as a consultant working with a number of international and local prestigious organizations.

Lately, he was appointed on October 2017, as the special adviser for the Secretary-General of the UNWTO (UN World Tourism Organization) by his H.E Dr. Taleb Refaaii.

Currently, Zaazou holds the following posts:

  • Chairman of Z solutions, a tourism investment and advisory company (LLC)
  • President &founding member of 1st node Berlin ( Network for organizational development and exchange )
  • Board member of ODE ( Orascom development Egypt ) Owner of the famous El Gouna Development
  • Governor  & Board Member of the Mediterranean Tourism Foundation (MTF) in Malta.
  • Board member of the advisory board of the African tourism board ( ATB )
  • Board member for Italian company domina coral bay ( Sharm el sheikh )
  • Shareholder of the leading Chinese tour operator Hi seas  in Egypt
  • Special advisor to solution holding group ( for hotels and resorts ) Munch / Germany
  • Board member of the Arab/ Kuwait investment & development company (Egypt)
  • Board member of political Egyptian Think Tank The Egyptian Counsel for foreign affairs  (ECFA)
  • Honorary member of preservation of cultural tourism association  ( PCTA)
  • Member of the Botrus Ghaly foundation Kemet for peace and knowledge
  • Above among others

Education

  • Masters and PHD – international business academy – Delaware (USA)
  • Bachelor of commerce Ain shams university

Courses

  • Executive education /Harvard Kennedy School( public private partnership program )
  • Special certificates from the UNWTO : World Tourism Facts & Trends / the new consumer – seminar on tourism sustainability and local agenda 21… and  others.

Awards

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Zaazou earned several awards from different organization such as

  •  The International Public Relations Associations (IPRA)- Paris man of the year (2013).https://www.ipra.org/news/press-room/egypts-tourism-minister-receives-ipra-presidents-award/
  • He has been selected as the best minister of tourism worldwide in March 2014 (Patwa ITB-BERLIN).
  • Received QTA’s Award in 2014
  •  Received the memorial shield in 14.2.2014 to say thanks to the Egyptian tourism minister from The Federation of Italian tour operators (Astoi) for his efforts in tourism field in such difficult time for Egypt
  • The Best Development Award in 2015 from German Travel Industry Club.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K21xivuyZfU
  • Zaazou was awarded by Mr. Thomas Boesl, President of Germany’s leading travel agency organization, the Quality Travel Alliance (QTA) recognizing his outstanding contribution to improve the image of Egypt as an attractive tourist destination for German Tourists.The QTA has grown to include nearly 8,000 German travel agencies through a network of partnerships and cooperation agreements between different travel agency chains. Their combined revenues increased by 3% to €4.3 billion this year.