Egypt’s Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad announced on Friday that plans are in place to declare the entire Red Sea coast a marine reserve, which would give added value to the area as it would attract more tourists.
She added that this increases the opportunities for environmental tourism investments and provides opportunities for the environmental and tourism sectors to support joint work while achieving economic benefits – as the environment and investment are two sides of the same coin.
The minister noted that when the Ras Mohammed area on the coast of Sharm el-Sheikh was declared a nature reserve, it became more organized and thus more attractive to tourists.
Declaring it a nature reserve did not impede tourism investments, but actually supported them, she said.
Fouad noted that about 55 percent of the Red Sea coast is declared a nature reserve and added that, “We are in the process of declaring the entire Red Sea coast a marine reserve.”
She added that this will be an addition to the region and make it more attractive to tourism globally, as the Environmental Impact Assessment Law and the Natural Reserves Law will be applied.
This will work to protect the coral reefs in the Red Sea due to their global importance without impacting tourism and the investment activities of the region, she explained, and will actually maximize investments due to their compatibility with environmental goals.
She noted the importance of entrance fees to the reserves, which will aid tourism through development work and provide support for tourism activities.
The head of the Egyptian Tourism Federation, Hossam al-Shaer, praised the role of the Environment Ministry in supporting investments in the eco-tourism sector and supporting environmental investments in nature reserves, and achieving a real qualitative shift in eco-tourism in Egypt.
Shaer stressed full cooperation with the ministry to support the protection of the marine environment and coral reefs in the Red Sea and South Sinai, as they are the natural resources on which eco-tourism activities are based, and protecting them will therefore protect current and future tourism investments.
Shaer added that ecotourism is increasing globally, and it is expected that in the coming period sustainable and environmental tourism will be one of the most important attraction factors for tourist facilities.
