Parliament proposes bill to protect tourists in Egypt

CAIRO - 10 May 2017: The Tourism and Civil Aviation Committee in the Egyptian Parliament is reviewing a bill to protect foreigners and tourists visiting Egypt, Head of the Committee Yasmeen Abou Taleb said on Wednesday.

The bill should include a set of regulations concerning attitudes towards foreigners and tourists in Egypt, Parliamentarian Evelyn Matta stated on Wednesday. Matta added that the regulations target those who are working in the tourism sector at various touristic sites, especially at the Pyramids area.

Furthermore, any costs in return for touristic activities and services should be determined in accordance with the regulations of the bill, which aims at protecting foreigners' rights in Egypt, according to Matta.

In order to easily deter any improper attitude towards tourists, the parliamentarian proposed that persons working in the field of tourism should work under the supervision of governmental institutions.

"Most countries set a fixed cost for entertainment services for tourists, and that should be applied in Egypt, too," Matta added, “these regulations would lure foreigners into visiting Egypt."

Another parliamentarian saw that intensifying punishment, such as handing down a prison sentence of ten years for misbehavior's towards tourists, would help in that concern.

He proposed a bill to incorporate teaching the importance of tourism and tourists in school subjects of different grades, and its significance on the economy.
Tourism in Egypt is a basic source for the national income that the state’s budget depends on to boost the economy.