Captain Walaa Hafez: I aim to draw the world's attention to boost tourism in the city and affirm its safety
I was expecting strong media support from the Ministry of Tourism, not just moral sponsorship
By Akram Medhat - Travel Yalla journalist
Sharm El-Sheikh will host one of the events to be recorded in the "Guinness" Book of World Records: the world's longest diving distance, 100 kilometers from Dahab to Sharm El-Sheikh, on November 26.
Captain Walaa Hafez, a pilot at the Suez Canal Authority and a former officer in the Naval Special Forces, is the hero who will set a record in Egypt's name in the "Guinness" book for the second time. The first was for the longest time spent underwater, 51 hours, 24 minutes and 13 seconds.
Captain Walaa Hafez told Travel Yalla: "I am trying to set another record in the 'Guinness' book with the longest diving distance in the world. It will be the first dive of its kind, at a maximum depth of 6 meters, continuing non-stop over a distance of 100 kilometers, in less than 24 hours."
Hafez explained that the event had been scheduled for Hurghada, because the water current runs from south to north, "so it was easier for us," but after the Russian plane incident the dive location was changed to Sharm El-Sheikh to send the world a message of reassurance about the safety of the Egyptian destination, and that if the incident was terrorism, it was staged and did not come from Egypt, because Egypt is targeted for its strategic location. "I hope we do something that brings honor to our country," he said.
He pointed out that November 26 is Guinness World Records Day, "and I was nominated to represent the Middle East and Egypt." Other records will be set around the world, but not the same "diving" event.
He added that Guinness World Records will announce the event so that the whole world can watch it through social media and YouTube, and a telecommunications company sponsoring the event will show it moment by moment, "live", on its YouTube channel.
Hafez criticized the way important international events that serve Egyptian tourism are handled, saying there is a problem in Egypt: the concerned authorities pay no attention to events until the last minute. "I received moral sponsorship from the Ministries of Youth and Sports and of Tourism, and I don't understand what this sponsorship means. I expected greater attention from the Ministry of Tourism, represented by the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority, because I am setting a record in a city that enjoys global media attention, which could be used to boost tourism, to show in practice that it is safe, and even to promote diving tourism, which attracts thousands of tourists."
He noted that he is not familiar with advertising tools or methods of promoting and marketing events, "but I have what I can do to improve Egypt's image globally, and there are bodies that are supposed to take on this task through sponsorship that is not financial, but through publicity and organizing international press conferences. I expected that from the Ministry of Tourism, so that the event would be part of global tourism promotion campaigns."
