Egypt's Minister of the Environment Yasmine Fouad and Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa discussed on Sunday ways to enhance cooperation between the two ministries to support the environmental and sustainable tourism products and regulate activities in natural reserves. The meeting also discussed ways to enhance joint efforts to further integrate the environmental dimension into the tourism sector in Egypt, in addition to mechanisms to confront and limit poaching activities, eliminate any wrong practices, and spread environmentally friendly practices that contribute to restoring the efficiency of the ecosystem. During the meeting, Fouad reviewed the most important axes of the Ministry of Environment's work to develop nature reserves, raise the quality of services provided, and integrate the surrounding communities. She explained that her ministry has made great efforts in the field of ecotourism during the past four years, where a group of distinguished models were presented, including adventure tourism, noting that the ministry has worked to raise the efficiency and development of 9 natural reserves that have been developed. its infrastructure. Fouad added that a study is underway to allow tourist boats inside the Ras Mohammed Reserve to obtain an annual permit to practice the activity, by registering on the website for that, which will contribute to making an inventory of their numbers. The Minister of Environment drew attention to the importance of marketing eco-tourism, referring to the "Eco Egypt" and "Stories from Its People" campaigns, which shed light on eco-tourism in nature reserves and the local communities in them, with their distinctive culture and heritage. For his part, the Minister of Tourism affirmed the ministry's full readiness to cooperate more with the Ministry of Environment within the framework of its role as regulator, supervisor and licensee to work within this industry in order to preserve natural resources and environmental systems with the correct and optimal exploitation of them. Issa pointed out the ministry's keenness to take all measures that would contribute to ensuring that visitors and tourists receive the distinguished tourism experience they deserve, in a way that ensures the application of all security and safety standards. Recently, the Tourism Ministry has completed the evaluation and licensing of a number of environmental hotel establishments in Siwa Oasis, Matrouh governorate, which are the first environmental hotels to be evaluated in accordance with the Egyptian requirements and standards approved for evaluating ecolodge hotels. Issa also reviewed what the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is doing to legalize the conditions of some mountain safari centres in the governorates of South Sinai and the Red Sea, which apply to them tourism standards within the framework of the ministerial decision issued in this regard and work on licensing them through the ministry.
