Hossam El-Shaer: Penalties may include license cancellation, with safeguards to ensure fairness and protect compliant businesses.
The aim is to regulate the tourism market, improve quality and prevent harm to the national economy.
The Egyptian Tourism Federation’s board has issued strict regulations governing a recently formed committee to combat below-cost sales by tourism establishments. The rules include important provisions designed to regulate the market and prevent tourism products, services and packages from being sold below their actual cost.
The committee, which includes representatives of the Tourism Ministry, the federation and tourism chambers, is expected to hold its first meeting soon to implement the federation’s decisions. Tourism chambers have been notified of the committee’s formation and its regulations so they can circulate them among members.
Federation Chairman Hossam El-Shaer said establishing the committee and its rules reflects the commitment of the federation and its five chambers to a stable, well-regulated tourism market. It also supports improving Egypt’s tourism product and the quality of services offered to visitors, protecting the destination’s reputation.
He highlighted efforts to address below-cost package sales by a small number of tourism businesses. Such practices, long criticized by compliant companies and establishments, negatively affect Egypt’s tourism income, harm businesses that follow the rules and undermine fair competition across the industry.
El-Shaer said the regulations establish procedures for complaints concerning products, services and packages sold below actual cost. Complainants must substantiate the violation, identify the sale price and actual cost, and provide supporting documents to assist the committee’s investigation. The rules also set out fair investigation procedures.
If a violation is established, the committee will prepare a detailed, evidence-supported report explaining its work and conclusions. The report goes to the federation chairman for approval and the legally required action under Article 26 of Law No. 27 of 2023. Penalties may extend to cancellation of the offender’s license.
The rules also provide strict measures concerning complainants where allegations are unsubstantiated, to protect company reputations. Repeated unfounded complaints by one company against another will be referred to the federation chairman for appropriate action. Appeals against committee decisions will be reviewed by the federation chairman and the head of the relevant chamber, who will issue a final decision.
Committee membership and responsibilities
El-Shaer’s formation decision appointed Karim El-Minabawy, a board member of the Egyptian Travel Agents Association, as chairman. Members include Karim Mohsen, the association’s vice chairman; Youssef Wagdy Nathan, a board member of the Egyptian Hotel Association; Ehab Mohamed Ali, Director General of Monitoring and Inspection at the Tourism and Antiquities Ministry; legal adviser Mohamed Abdel Karim; and Mohamed Ezzat, the federation’s Legal Department Director, as a member and rapporteur. Fatma Hassan, the federation’s executive secretary, serves as committee secretary.
The committee receives complaints from tourism-chamber member establishments against other members concerning below-cost sales, examines and investigates them, and submits decisions to the federation chairman for approval and referral to the relevant chambers for implementation. It must comply with its operating regulations as approved by the federation chairman.
