Egypt's Tourism, Environment Ministers discuss ecotourism, Green Star brand

El-Anani praised Environment Ministry's efforts relating to ecotourism in Egypt

Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Anani and Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad have met to discuss ways of supporting environmental and sustainable tourism in the country.
During the meeting, the two ministers also discussed opportunities to organise tourism activities to promote Egyptian ecotourism offerings aimed at the local and international markets.
The meeting took place in the presence of a number of representatives from the two ministries.
El-Anani praised the Ministry of Environment's efforts in setting up ecotourism facilities, particularly relating to the Eco-Egypt campaign. He said that it is important to promote the ecotourism product both locally and internationally.
For her part, Fouad highlighted the importance of maintaining the environmental balance, whilst organising land, marine, and fishing activities. This also entails selecting suitable sites for tourism activities to encourage the transition to a green economy.
It additionally means spreading environmentally friendly practices in the tourism sector, by strengthening partnerships with the private sector and international conservation agencies.
At the same time, it means protecting resources and biodiversity, while achieving the best use of natural resources.
The meeting also discussed the Green Star brand, and promoting it among hotels. This would see licences for environmentally friendly hotels activated.
The two ministers discussed the Ministry of Environment's efforts to monitor shark activity in Egyptian waters, with the two sides agreeing to hold a meeting with all concerned parties.
The two ministers also discussed the development of procedures for environmental impact assessment studies for hotel and tourism facilities. This would provide a sustainable climate for environmental tourism work in line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Strategy.