Tourist preparations for COP27 under review

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled al-Anani and Minister of Environment, Yasmin Fouad on Tuesday met to discuss preparations and arrangements for visitors at the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 (COP27), which Egypt will host next year at the Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh.

President of the Egyptian Federation of Tourism Chambers and heads of hotel chambers and travel agencies attended the meeting at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) with representatives of the foreign ministry and other bodies concerned, an official statement said.

El-Anani stressed the importance of full coordination between his ministry and that of environment so that COP27 will reflect Egypt’s global status, revealing to the world the efforts for sustainable development and green tourism.

Al-Anani said his ministry is ready to offer all support to make the event a great success. He also stressed the need for joint workshops and forming coordination committees from the bodies concerned to implement tourist arrangements for hosting the global conference. This involves logistical preparations, accommodating the participant delegations, booking mechanisms, domestic tourist transfers and trips, and the promotional campaign.

Tourist excursions for the delegations will be extended to Luxor and Aswan, and sites in Cairo to acquaint them with tourist products and destinations in Egypt, the minister said.

He noted that they are ready for the technical promotional campaign organised by the environment ministry.

The tourist minister referred to a plan to turn Sharm into an eco-friendly city, that preserves the natural reserves and ecological systems, and applying this in hotels and other tourist facilities, and means of transport.

For her part, Minster of Environment Yasmin Fouad said the ministry of tourism and antiquities is an effective partner in organising COP 27.

She also reviewed the logistical and technical aspects for the organisation of the conference, which will be attended by 30,000 officials and members of the public.