By Akram Medhat
Prime Minister Eng. Sherif Ismail held a meeting yesterday with Minister of Tourism Yehia Rashed and Minister of Antiquities Dr. Khaled El-Enany, attended by a group of tourism investors, to discuss a number of issues concerning the sector that need to be resolved.
During the meeting, it was agreed to set a date for holding the elections of the boards of directors of the tourism chambers as soon as possible, in accordance with the amended bylaws, which have been reviewed and approved by the State Council.
The meeting also stressed the swift payment of companies' overdue dues under the flight incentive program for 2015/2016. Rashed explained that part of these dues has been paid after the flight forms submitted by the companies were reviewed by the committee formed of the Ministry of Tourism, the Tourism Fund, the Egyptian Tourism Federation and a financial controller from the Ministry of Finance, adding that work is under way to disburse the dues of the remaining companies that have completed all the documents required of them, and that the companies that have not completed their documents are being contacted.
Regarding the marketing of Sharm El-Sheikh, the Minister of Tourism said an agreement had been reached with some companies to offer them incentive programs to bring tourist traffic from new markets, adding that work is under way to develop the marketing plan to promote Sharm El-Sheikh with the advertising agency JWT, in cooperation with a small committee formed of a number of investors in the city, and that digital promotional campaigns will also be launched and many events held to attract tourists from nearby markets.
On the other hand, the Prime Minister directed the activation of the cooperation protocol between the Ministries of Tourism and Antiquities regarding the management of services at archaeological sites.
