Board of Directors of Diving and Water Activities Tourism Chamber elected Karim Hilal President of the Chamber following a fierce competition with Mohamed Saleh Advisor of the Minister of Tourism over the position captured by Hilal.
This board is temporary for one year only for preparing the executive regulations of the new Chamber that was a part of the Restaurants Chamber then the Minister of Tourism Zuhair Garrana separated it last month as an independent chamber under the umbrella of the Egyptian Federation of the Tourism Chambers.
The appointed chamber member from the Ministry Hesham Zazou stated to Al-Masalla that the chamber will operate from the headquarters of the Egyptian Federation of Tourism Chambers on temporary basis until selecting a suitable place for practicing the chamber activities.
He added that the new chamber will be responsible for paying attention to the needs and interests of owners of Diving Centers and Maritime Activities, issuing regulations concerning organization of this tourism activity in addition to follow up and improving level of service provided to tourist as regards of the water activities.
He pointed out that establishment of this chamber came due to the great increase in numbers of diving centers and aqua-centers, yachts and motor-boats that operate in the field of water activities in Egypt recently, as they totaled 450 diving centers, 200 Aqua-centers in addition to around 3000 yachts and motor-boats, after it was a branch affiliating the Chamber of Tourism Installations since year 2003.
It came to the knowledge of Al-Masalla that the new chamber is facing a major problem in financing due to the absence of financial support necessary for operating its activities, as subscriptions were directed to the Chamber of tourism restaurants already and it is not possible to refund them.
The Minister of Tourism Zuhair Garrana issued a decision in the last month of May establishing a Tourism Chamber for Diving Tourism and New Water Activities.
