President of the Egyptian Tourism Federation: The committee has helped resolve many outstanding problems of tourism projects and increase the state's tax revenue
The Egyptian Tourism Federation announced that, in a swift response from Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk, the Ministry of Finance has decided to add cases related to both the real estate tax and the entertainment tax (theaters and variety shows) to the remit of the joint committee formed by the ministry and the federation, which is tasked with studying and addressing cases of tax and customs evasion involving tourism establishments.
The decision comes after the major successes achieved by the joint committee in recent months in settling many cases amicably before they were referred to the Public Prosecution, which has helped raise the state's tax revenue on the one hand, and protect tourism establishments from faltering or damage to their reputation on the other.
Hossam El-Shaer, President of the Egyptian Tourism Federation, expressed his appreciation to the Minister of Finance for his swift response and close cooperation with the federation, stressing that the decision is an extension of a successful path of institutional partnership between the two sides. He praised the efforts of Counselor Khalil Omar, head of the committee and legal adviser to the Minister of Finance for tax and customs evasion cases, for the extensive cooperation he has offered to accomplish the committee's tasks in line with the spirit of the law and ministerial decisions.
El-Shaer said that the joint committee with the Ministry of Finance had been a demand of the federation to ensure that any tax or customs evasion cases or reports concerning tourism establishments are studied before being referred to the prosecution, and the experience has proved highly successful in resolving hundreds of files amicably, which has preserved investors' reputations and contributed to increasing the state's tax revenue.
El-Shaer added that these files had been a burden on many establishments, and that there is now a fair and practical path to settle them in accordance with the law without any harm, and also without compromising the state's rights.
El-Shaer revealed that there will soon be positive news regarding further tax and procedural facilitations, noting that the coming phase will see broader cooperation between the Ministry of Finance and the federation, within the framework of the state's policy aimed at supporting tourism investment and creating a stable and fair business environment.
