During the opening of the Workshop on “Community-Led Management of Islamic and Rural Heritage Tourism” in Cairo on 12 October 2026, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK presented a symbolic key to H.E. Sherif Fathi ATTIA, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt, in celebration of Cairo as the OIC City of Tourism 2026.

The recognition was endorsed by the 12th Session of the Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers, held in Khiva in 2024. The OIC City of Tourism initiative aims to highlight the growing importance of tourism and related sectors within the OIC cooperation framework. It also offers the selected city socioeconomic benefits and opportunities for regeneration, enhancing its image and raising its profile across the OIC and internationally.