Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, and Mohamed Gebran, Minister of Labor, today signed a cooperation protocol between the two ministries on the conditions and controls for licensing hotel accommodation units, or “holiday apartments,” as part of the two ministries' keenness to meet occupational safety and health requirements and provide a safe environment in these units.
The signing of this protocol comes in light of the two ministries' cooperation to provide the greatest possible protection for workers and tourists staying in hotel accommodation units, or “holiday apartments” (Holiday Homes), contributing to enhancing the quality of the tourism services provided and raising the level of safety in these units.
Under this protocol, the Ministry of Labor is permitted to verify that occupational safety and health requirements are met for workers and tourists staying in these units, in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations and the specifications set out in the ministerial decree issued by the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities last April on the conditions and controls for licensing “holiday apartments,” through the formation of a joint committee including representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Ministry of Labor's Central Administration for Occupational Safety and Health to inspect these units.
This cooperation is an important step toward establishing a safe and sustainable environment in the tourism sector, enhancing the competitiveness of the Egyptian tourist destination and supporting the state's plans to provide accommodation units for tourists, as part of its efforts to increase Egypt's hotel capacity to accommodate the expected increase in the number of tourists arriving in Egypt in the coming period.
Attending the signing ceremony from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities was Mohamed Amer, Head of the Central Administration for Hotel Establishments, Shops and Tourism Activities, and from the Ministry of Labor, Eng. Khaled Abdullah, the minister's Advisor for Occupational Safety and Health, and Eng. Mohamed Montaser, Head of the Central Administration for Occupational Safety and Health.
