A total solar eclipse will bring thousands of travellers to Sallum, a small border city between Egypt and Libya. Rehab Saad monitors the preparations In an attempt to put the northern Egyptian Mediterranean Coast on the international tourist map, the Ministry of Tourism is paying a great deal of attention to the total solar eclipse that will take place on 29 March. For Sallum, a tiny coastal village on the Egypt-Libya border, will constitute one of the best spots in the world from which to view this cosmic phenomenon. In cooperation with Matrouh Governorate and 10 other ministries, the Ministry of Tourism is working extensively to put the final touches on preparing for this internationally-significant event, followed closely for its scientific importance. According to studies and forecasting, this phenomenon will not be fully visible except in three places in the world: the Hill of Peace (Hadabet Al-Salam) in Sallum, along with a Libyan city and a Turkish city. However, the clearest sighting is expected to be from Sallum. In an organisational committee meeting, Minister of Tourism Zoheir Garana and Governor of Matrouh General Mohamed El-Shahaat discussed the preparations taking place. "The Ministry of Tourism will use all of its potential and various organisations to support that important event in order to display it in the best form," Garana said. He praised the fruitful cooperation of all the parties involved and for their offering of various facilities that will guarantee the success of the event. On the other hand, El-Shahaat said the governorate has allocated 22 sites in Sallum for those who want to see this phenomenon, whether tourists or researchers. "The whole area has been thoroughly surveyed by the engineers of the Tourist Development Authority (TDA) to specify the main services it needs," he said. "I issued instructions to all the governorate's bodies to be fully prepared for the event and to provide all services needed by visitors, such as improving the roads leading to the site, providing car parking, preparing tents for accommodation, providing fire engines and ambulances on the site as well as on the roads leading to it." El-Shahaat added that hospitals in the cities near the site will be also well prepared with efficient doctors of various specialties, medicine and full medical equipment. "The Armed Forces hospitals will play a big role as they will be ready to deal with any emergency," he said. "They will also coordinate with Cairo to provide air ambulance units to Matrouh Airport." Fathi Nour, consultant of the minister of tourism and head of the Egyptian Hotels Association (EHA) said that all hotels of Marsa Matrouh and the tourist villages around are fully booked during the week where the total solar eclipse will take place. "There are travel agencies that booked whole hotels two years ago, especially those dealing with the US market where researchers and tourists are keen on observing the phenomenon," he said. Nour added that more than 10,000 tourists and researchers have confirmed their attendance and it is expected that the number will reach 20,000 tourists in the coming few days as the Ministry of Tourism has received new requests from different nationalities to attend and observe the eclipse. "The importance of that event lies in the fact that millions are going to follow it via main international TV channels. The Ministry of Tourism, represented in the Egyptian Tourist Authority (ETA), will work hard to make use of the event to promote the Egyptian tourism," he said. Nour explained that the ETA has prepared a tourist programme for most of the guests, focussing especially on researchers and media representatives in order to help them gain an understanding into the tourist features of the area. Incorporated into the programme is the provision of information on the Northern Coast's beaches and crystal-blue waters, Matrouh's historical and cultural heritage and the Bahariya Oasis in the Western Desert. The Ministry of Tourism and Matrouh Governorate are currently examining the possibility of using the camps of different sports clubs and organisations in Matrouh to accommodate the extra flow of visitors. As for the media coverage of the event, according to Hala El-Khatib, media consultant and spokeswoman of the ministry, the Ministry of Tourism has prepared a well-studied plan to make use of that unique event to promote Egypt. "There will be cooperation with the Ministry of Information, represented in the State Information Service. Two press centres will be established and a large number of international TV and newspaper representatives besides public figures from all over the world will be invited," she said. "There will be also an agreement with the Ministry of Telecommunications to strengthen mobile phone transmission in the area of coverage." She added that the ministry will facilitate the mission of different research centres and their representatives in monitoring the phenomenon, registering it and making use of it scientifically. "There are research centres in the US, Russia, China and some European countries who asked to attend the event," she said. Information on the eclipse BLAME it on the moon! Indeed, eclipses -- whether solar or lunar -- are always courtesy of the moon. The moon orbits about the earth and when in its path crosses the sun, it forms a solar eclipse. On the other hand when the moon passes through earth's shadow, it forms a lunar eclipse. Solar eclipses can be categorised as total, partial or annular. Any total eclipse commences as a partial one. Once the moon obscures the sun, the partial eclipse gradually grows into a total one. Solar eclipses are not very common phenomena -- 18 were set to take place from 1996 to 2020. The latest took place over parts of Antarctica in November 2003. Be prepared, however, for the next one, which takes place on 29 March. It will begin in Brazil, extending through the Atlantic, North Africa, Central Asia and finally ending in Western Mongolia. Travellers to Egypt will enjoy a golden opportunity as the eclipse is viewable for a whole three minutes and 58 seconds in Sallum, a small border town between Egypt and Libya. Though one is often warned not to look at an eclipse straight on, it is not entirely true that it is harmful to the eyes. Indeed, looking at a partial eclipse without protective equipment causes retinal burn, which may cause complete or partial blindness. But directly viewing a total eclipse doesn't harm the vision. Given that any total eclipse starts as a partial one, you have two options -- either to look away until the partial matures into a total eclipse, or to have some protective equipment handy. The safest measure is a simple card box: punch a hole in one side, stand with your back to the sun so that the direct sunlight goes through the hole, the light's reflection falls on the other side of the card box and voila! You got yourself an eclipse! If you prefer direct viewing, then you may want to opt for designated filter viewers made of aluminised polyester or a very dark polymer material. Please don't use sunglasses, photographic neutral density filters, smoked glass, polarising filters, compact discs, floppy disk media, black colour film or film negatives bearing images. None of these works as solar filters. Undoubtedly, viewing a solar eclipse is an enchanting experience. Nevertheless our health is much more valuable. Enjoy it!
