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Egyptian Tourism Minister Zuhair Garranah said that focusing attention on eco-friendly tourism or the so-called "green tourism" is one of the most important factors required to achieve higher growth rates in tourism, whether by introducing initiatives or discussing controls and policies that must be pursued in this regard.
Addressing the workshop held by the Egyptian National Council for competitiveness, Garranah assured that tourism sector faces a number of challenges, chief among them is how to develop the already existing capacities and improve the quality of tourism products while ensuring the use of financial resources, human and natural resources without adversely affecting the surrounding environment, Secondly, encouraging investment in tourism sector in such a way that allow doubling the number of tourists while avoiding negative environmental effects that may indirectly accompany this expansion. Thirdly, promoting new tourism patterns known as eco-friendly tourism.
He also praised the flexible tourism sector and its ability to face challenges and deal with the rapid transformations, attributing this to tourism's staff personal capabilities in coping with any crises that might befall that vital sector.
Garranah further mentioned that the success achieved by Egyptian tourism sector last year, defied reports expectations and international studies at the outset of global financial crisis, which was recording a 20% decline in tourism growth rates.
However, the retreat in tourists numbers and tourism revenues did not exceed 2% due to policies that has been pursued by Tourism Ministry in the face of the crisis since October 2008 , according to Zuhair Garranah ,
He asserted the crisis , despite being so difficult, was a chance to rearrange the house from within and give due care to training programs , upgrade tourism staff's skills , and implement strategies aimed at promoting sustainable development and transferring into green economy.
Minister stressed the need to develop general frameworks and policies in various areas to raise public awareness of environmental issues in line with the growing demand for Egyptian tourist market through the integration of tourism and environmental studies in the educational system, strengthen cooperation and coordination among institutions working in tourism field , infrastructure and environmental planning,
Additionally, he emphasized the need to improve measurement , monitoring and evaluation of environmental impacts tourism , introduce new systems for planning and controlling tourism enterprises in line with the environment , offer a comprehensive vision for initiatives , in accordance with green environment , to be used for promoting Egypt as a destination for green tourism, such as the declaration of converting Sharm el-Sheikh to a green town in 2020.
Explaining the main features of the previous declaration which depends on addressing the challenges affecting the environment , Zuhair Garranah said that the project included four main items: reducing carbon emissions, achieving a sustainable supply of water by reducing individuals as well as tourist facilities' consumption, efficient management of solid waste and sanitation , and finally, keeping coral reefs intact.
Tourism Minister Sum up his talk by calling on all concerned bodies to unite and make their utmost efforts to achieve these goals and access to more successful tourism in compatible with the environment.
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