Minister of Tourism Zuhair Garrana denied that any allocation of lands affiliating to Tourism Development was dedicated to anyone from his family members or any of his relatives. He pointed out that such a matter is violation of law and it is not possible that the committee concerned with allocation of lands would agree on such a matter.
In a meeting with travel media on Sunday evening he said that Tourism Development Authority combines in its board 18 persons and no investor is granted any piece of land without full approval of the board of Directors. Such a procedure fully prevents any manipulation.
The Minister stated that new rules fro Omra will be announced within coming hours after completion of its search and study of the Saudi rules. He indicated that sanctions may reach to cancellation of licenses of violating companies, and that penalties will be maximized to extreme extent to ensure the safety of those who perform Omra.
He explained that Saudi authorities decided that the only body to deal with is the Travel Companies obtaining “IATA” license, which caused a problem for the civil societies, and entailed the coordination with Social Solidarity Ministry for adopting the social dimension and solving the problem as regards of Omra for the civil societies.
He made it clear that at the middle of the present month there will be endorsement of new criteria for distribution of the Tourism Development lands and pricing of these lands.
The Minister of Tourism added that the present week will witness the approval of the cabinet on offering lands of Northern coast for investment after re-planning the are and presenting it to the cabinet in preparation for beginning of work in Northern Coast in the various tourism investment projects.
Mr. Garrana added that city of Luxor witnessed this year very high occupation rates in comparison with previous years as it is the first time to reach occupation rate of 100% and it was the highest rate of occupation among tourist destinations within Egypt during the month of March.
The Minister stated that Nile anchors from Cairo to Aswan are currently under assessment in order to develop what needs such operation. In that regard he explained that development will effect a great tourism leap despite of the fact that occupation rates in Nile tourism is high and promising as number of boats reached to 282 until now.
This efforts are coupled with promotion of the navigation course between Cairo and Aswan for facilitating the proceeding of long Nile voyages. In that regard he disclosed that a long Nile voyage that comprised representatives from Ministries of Tourism, Interior and Irrigation as well as other concerned Ministries and Egyptian Federation for Tourism Chambers took place recently for recording all notes to upgrade the navigation course.
Mr. Zuhair Garrana said that action is currently underway for upraising the quality of Egyptian Tourism Product and providing excellent services in hotels, restaurants and shops, which may cause increase in hotels rates that already increased between 20 and 40 per cent, but it should be in consistent with upgrading of the level of services to maintain value of such a raise.
He revealed that the Ministry is seriously seeking now the raising of Arab Tourism rate into 30% then gradually higher than that to the levels that cope with the Arab distinguished relations of Egypt.
He asserted that Egyptian Tourism Promotion Convoys and caravans to the Arab countries inflicted positively on increase of numbers of Arab tourists and some of Arab tourists turned their destinations from some European countries into Egypt which is an evidence of success of these convoys.
The Minister said that he is currently studying the alternatives that can be implemented following the cancellation of the Egyptian Tourism Bourse which took place after apology of the organizing company for continuation in organization, so there is a rethinking in alternatives for establishing a tourism exhibition that suits the Tourism reputation of Egypt.
He added that he conferred with the Chairman of Egyptian Industries Federation and presented to him the timings during which Egyptian Tourism is witnessing retreat along the year, in order to enable the Federation of selecting the time suitable for them. In that concern he announced that an independent administrative body will be formed to manage and organize Tourism and Shopping Festival in order to attain the desired success.
Mr. Garrana concluded that a number of Egyptian tourist sites witnessed a great leap in technological development and such districts were fully connected through a wireless internet network so any tourist or any person can get through the internet at any of these sites.
