By Akram Medhat
Eman Samy, a member of the steering committee of the Chamber of Tourism Companies and head of its Religious Tourism Committee, submitted her resignation today to Dr. Nader El-Beblawy, head of the chamber, for reasons related to work commitments outside Egypt.
She told "Travel Yalla News" that it is not wise to hold on to a position she cannot serve at present due to other commitments.
Eman Samy wrote on her personal Facebook account, in her message to travel companies:
My dear colleagues,
Today I submitted to Dr. Nader El-Beblawy my apology for not continuing in my position as a member of the steering committee and as head of the Religious Tourism Committee, as I will have to be outside Egypt for long periods in the coming period, and he kindly accepted the apology.
I thank you all, those who disagreed with me before those who agreed, throughout the period in which I held this position, during which I strove with all my energy to offer every effort and all the experience I could to serve the companies, so as to live up to your good opinion of me.
Today I wish you every success, and let us be optimistic about a future full of success for the advancement of our beloved homeland.
....
During her tenure as head of the Religious Tourism Committee at the Chamber of Companies, Eman Samy earned everyone's respect and appreciation, as she took on the task at a difficult time that coincided with Saudi Arabia's new decisions at the start of the 1438 AH Umrah season, particularly regarding the 2,000-riyal visa fee, as well as the floatation of the pound, which generally pushed up Umrah program prices. This led to the season in Egypt being postponed to the month of Rajab and condensed into only 3 months, and she worked hard to manage the system in a way that served the companies' interests.
Eman Samy is the second head of the Religious Tourism Committee after Sherif Saeed, who took up the post after the Chamber of Companies was dissolved by a court ruling; the chamber has not held elections for about two years now.
It is worth noting that this resignation will create a vacuum in one of the most important positions at the Chamber of Tourism Companies, especially at the present time, which is witnessing a stalled Umrah season for 1439 AH, a delay by the Ministry of Tourism in announcing the regulations, and even the failure to form the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah, which includes representatives of the private sector and the Ministry of Tourism and of which the head of the chamber's Religious Tourism Committee is the most prominent member. The reasons are unclear to all parties, leaving travel companies on tenterhooks.
