Within the framework of its Project on “Strengthening Egypt’s Cultural Tourism Destination Brand through Sharing Experiences”, SESRIC will organise a Workshop on “Community-Led Management of Islamic and Rural Heritage Tourism” on 12-14 October 2026 in Cairo, Egypt. The Project is co-funded under the 13^th Call for Project Proposals of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) Project Funding.

The workshop aims to strengthen the capacity of local tourism stakeholders and communities in Egypt to integrate heritage tourism with rural development by promoting the conservation and sustainable use of Islamic and rural heritage within an OIC context. It builds on the online training Course on “Promoting Islamic and Rural Heritage Tourism through Innovative Marketing Techniques and Storytelling”, held on 4–5 August 2026. The workshop will focus on applying approaches related to Islamic heritage storytelling, digital promotion, visitor experience enhancement and basic site management to preserve heritage, improve visitor experiences and support local communities. The program will include a field visit to selected heritage sites in and around Cairo, during which experts will evaluate the selected sites. It will also include a high-level commemoration ceremony for Cairo, the designated OIC City of Tourism 2026.

The COMCEC Coordination Office (CCO) introduced the COMCEC Project Funding (CPF) in 2013, a financing mechanism that supports projects submitted by OIC member countries and relevant OIC institutions. Funding is provided in the form of a grant through the Development and Investment Bank of the Republic of Türkiye, a primary body in the CPF scheme. Since the initiation of CPF, SESRIC has implemented 19 projects to date across various cooperation areas and sectoral themes determined by the CCO.

For more details about SESRIC projects funded by the COMCEC, please visit: https://www.sesric.org/tcd-activities-projects-funded.php.