Egypt to promote eco-tourism

Egypt should focus on eco-friendly tourism, claims a government official.According to the country’s ministry of tourism, Egypt has seen a substantial rise in visitor numbers and is now a top global holiday destination.

However, the country’s tourist minister Zoheir Garrana stressed that it is vital that the industry should take steps to protect the country’s long-term prospects, reports Al-Masry Al-Youm.

“If we don’t deal with tourism as if we’re in danger, we’ll lose,” said Mr Garrana.

The tourism ministry has confirmed that the resort of Sharm al-Sheikh will be the focus of a new initiative designed to turn the city into a world-class green destination by reducing water consumption, cutting waste and lowering biodiversity degradation.

The number of tourists visiting Egypt has increased from 1.4 million in 1982 to 12.5 million in 2009 and the country is now ranked as 19th on the list of global destinations.

Meanwhile, SunExpress, a subsidiary of Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, is planning to offer newflights to Egypt by summer next year.

Written by Ruth Norris.