Spot Red Sea - Travel Guide

STOP the Destruction of Nuweiba!

2009-06-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

Dear All!

We kindly ask to join us in combating a serious situation that is arising in Nuweiba!

Strong Objection to the Nuweiba Power Plant Project in South Sinai planned by the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company and to be financed by the European Investment Bank and the African Development Bank. If such a plant proceeds, it will have a disastrous effect on the local tourism industry, on the local Bedouin population and, above all, on the local environment.

Nuweiba is one of the most picturesque parts of the whole southern Sinai Peninsula, has an excellent and unique tourism potential, is home to two major Sinai Bedouin tribes, and has an almost unique, relatively undisturbed underwater marine life. Apart from the obvious enormous detrimental effects such a project will have on the local environment and population during the construction period, once operational, the plant will have a negative impact on the quality of air, will reduce the level of sunlight, increase noise pollution and, above all, will damage seriously and irreparably the marine life and coral reefs that lie all along the east coast of Nuweiba adjacent to where the plant is planned to be built.

We kindly ask for to join us in combating a serious situation that is arising in Nuweiba!

SIGN PETITION!

Thank you very much for your support.

From: newsletter@tdi-middleeast.com

Sent: 23 June 2009 14:43

St. George Three Corners Resort two times awarded

2009-06-21T03:23:00.000-07:00

Two leading British touroperators, Thomas Cook and Thomson Holidays, granted the St. George Three Corners Resort in Sharm El Sheikh a highly appreciate award.

The Marque of Excellence Award 2008 was granted by Thomas Cook. This distinction is annually accorded in recognition of the hotel's high service standards and quality of its accommodations.

The quality is judged through the rating parameters like accommodation, reception service, cleanliness, furnishing and decor standard, bar service, quality and choice of food, swimming pools, entertainment among others.

What's important about this award is that clients are the ones who assess the hotels by responding to Thomas Cook's satisfaction polls, which measure the service, facilities and quality of the accommodations. Also Thomson Holidays awarded St. George Three Corners Resort his Gold Medal 2008. This award is also decided by the opinions of Thompson's customers and judging on the feedbacks received from UK based, mostly chartered clients.

"By expressing the view of such a demanding sector of the market represented by Thomas Cook and Thomson, these awards dignify the efforts of its staff who place the excellence of their service above all else", affirmed Mr. Wagih Sarofeen, General Manager of St. George Three Corners Resort.

St. George Three Corners Resort, with 259 rooms, an All Inclusive 4-star hotel, is ideally located close to the beach and the centre of Sharm El Sheikh, off ering the best of both worlds. The private beach is situated in the picturesque bay of Sharm el Maya , the original old town of Sharm.

Open Letter from HEPCA To all Dive Guides in the Egyptian Red Sea

2009-06-14T02:07:00.000-07:00

Most of you are aware of the death of the snorkeler at St. Johns by an Oceanic WhiteTip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) earlier this month. The death was especially tragic because it could have been avoided if guests had been stopped from snorkelling. Allowing guests to snorkel at St. Johns and other Far Islands, especially when C. longimanus is presence, is highly unprofessional. Not only does it place guests at risk of injury, but such unprofessional action gives the whole Egyptian Red Sea dive industry a bad reputation. Since the death of the snorkeler, dive guides have reported to HEPCA that some C. longimanus at the Far Islands are displaying overly inquisitive or even aggressive behaviour towards them while diving. This included sharks near the surface moving rapidly towards divers at 30 m. Others have reported being bumped, tanks nudged and sharks swimming extremely close to them and their guests. There may be a number of reasons why these animals are behaving this way. It could be due to the illegal actions of some divers who have been feeding them in these areas or boat crews baiting them. Alternatively, or in combination with, it may be due to natural seasonal causes relating to reproduction or the presence of natural prey. Whatever the reason(s), we urge guides to be especially vigilant when diving in areas where C. longimanus is commonly encountered. In light of this recent information, we have expanded our earlier list of recommendations when taking guests to areas where this species is commonly encountered. The earlier and new recommendations are:

No swimming and snorkelling in waters where this and other large species of sharks are known to frequent
No deliberate feeding of this species or the dumping of waste from boats which may attract this and other potentially dangerous sharks (both activities are illegal in Egyptian waters)
No SCUBA diving without an experienced dive guide in waters where this species is known to frequent
In areas such as the Far Islands, where this species is frequently observed, it is advisable that divers enter (and are retrieved from) the water as close as possible to the reef.
In areas such as the Far Islands it is illegal to be involved in any night diving activities.
Dive in groups and keep close together.
Two dive guides should accompany each group.
Divers should leave the water immediately if sharks display signs of aggression such as nudging or circling divers, or moving rapidly towards them.
Report to HEPCA any incidents of aggressive behaviour by these animals towards divers, and
Report to HEPCA the names of vessels whose divers or crew are observed feeding or baiting sharks.

Until recently, the Egypt Red Sea diving industry had an impressive track record of safely introducing divers to one of the largest and wide-ranging predators on the planet. With your help we would like to rebuild that record. For more information of this species in the Egyptian Red Sea go to: http://www.longimanus.info/species-info.htm (Unless specifically mentioned, all photographs taken by Elke Bojanowski ©)
HEPCA

The Hurghada Declaration - ban on fishing

2009-06-14T00:58:00.000-07:00

It is HEPCA’s great privilege to welcome an outstanding conservation outcome for the Egyptian Red Sea that will have long-lasting benefits for our Diving Industry and for all people who love the Red Sea. This outcome is the “Hurghada Declaration – Towards the Sustainable use of Natural Resources of the Red Sea”. Signed on 2 June 2009, the Hurghada Declaration provides a legal and strategic framework to implement important conservation recommendations developed last year at a conference held at Sharm El Sheik. These recommendations are aimed at reducing pressure on Red Sea marine resources while dealing fairly with communities reliant on these resources for their income. It does this by closing the Egyptian Red Sea to further entry by fishermen, buying back fishing licences, retraining fishermen to gain alternative forms of work, and the assisted repatriation of fishermen not legally permitted to fish in the Red Sea. In addition, the Hurghada Declaration prescribes to the precautionary principle by completely banning net fishing from the whole Egyptian Red Sea, banning trawling south of the Gulf of Suez and establishing marine reserves (no-take zones) at important marine areas. Marine reserves are locations where all forms of fishing are prohibit and will simultaneously benefit the dive tourism industry and marine biodiversity protection. The Declaration also benefits amateur or sports fishermen by proposing areas where they may exclusively fish.

The Hurghada Declaration could only have come about by individuals with great foresight and a desire to do the right thing for future generations. HEPCA wishes to applaud the following for their courage and wisdom to sign the Hurghada Declaration: H.E General Magdy Qubeisy the Red Sea Governor; H.E General Mohamed Galal the Suez Governor; H.E General Mohamed Metwaly the South Sinai Governor; H.E Amin Abaza the Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation; H.E Zohair Garrana the Minister of Tourism; and H.E Eng. Maged George the Minister for Environmental Affairs. In addition to those mentioned above, HEPCA wish to thank the following individuals and organisations for their support at making the Declaration a reality: Chamber of Diving and Water Sports, SSDM, The National Parks of Egypt and last but least Dr. Mahmoud Hanafy the science advisor for Hepca and the Red sea Governor.

Importantly, signing of the Declaration is only the first step in this long-term process. Next is the challenge to ensure compliance of the new laws and consistent enforcement when these laws are broken. This is where we need your assistance. We need you to act as the eyes for HEPCA and the authorities responsible for enforcement. The Egyptian Red Sea is too large for any one organisation to patrol and police. You can help by reporting illegal actions such as net fishing, trawling south of the Gulf of Suez or any forms of fishing in the newly created marine reserves. If you have queries concerning the Hurghada Declaration, the new laws, and how they might apply to you and your business please contact HEPCA.

Recent Shark Fatality at the Saint John’s June 2009

2009-06-07T03:00:00.000-07:00

Relating to the Recent Shark Fatality at the Saint John’s June 2009

HEPCA, and all its members from the Egyptian Red Sea would like to extend their deepest condolences to the family and friends of the French snorkeler killed by an Oceanic-White-Tip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) at the Saint John’s reefs this week. Contrary to rumour this was the only incident of recent shark fatality or injury to tourists in the Egyptian Red Sea. Further, HEPCA has not attributed blame of the fatality to the behaviour of the snorkeler who was killed. However HEPCA advises strongly that snorkelling in waters where this species is frequently encountered, such as the Far Islands and Saint Johns, is highly unadvisable.

Oceanic-White-Tip Sharks are large (maximum size 390 cm) predators rarely encountered because their main habitat is deep water well away from land. However, at certain times of the year this species aggregate at isolated islands, rocks and pinnacles in deep water in the Egyptian Red Sea. It is still unclear why they do this. Some scientists have suggested that they move seasonally close to islands for reproduction or feeding. Alternatively, because of their inquisitive nature, they might simply be attracted to boats and divers. Interactions between this species and SCUBA divers at some offshore dive sites in Egyptian waters are common at certain times of the year. Indeed, large numbers of divers travel to Egypt each year for the privilege of viewing this large species of shark. Although potentially dangerous, like most large wild animals, many thousands of divers have been safely introduced to this species without incident of injury. However certain activities can increase the risk of negative interactions with this and other species of shark. Foremost is the activity of divers feeding sharks with scrapes of food in order to attract them closer. Although shark feeding is legal in some well known dive destinations, such as the Caribbean, it is strictly forbidden under law in Egypt because of the very reason tragically witnessed this week.

The recent shark fatality is a great tragedy for all concerned and HEPCA wants to reassure visitors that every measure will be taken to reduce the risk of a similar incident occurring again. HEPCA, in conjunction with local industry,CDWS and government officials, are now formulating a strategy to help limit the risk of such an incident occurring again. In particular dive companies involved in the illegal activity of shark feeding will have their licences revoked. Although the risk of shark fatalities cannot be entirely stopped, the following activities will greatly minimise it:

- No swimming and snorkelling in waters where this and other large species of sharks are known to frequent
- No deliberate feeding of this species or the dumping of waste from boats which may attract this and other potentially dangerous sharks (both activities are illegal in Egyptian waters)
- No SCUBA diving without an experienced dive guide in waters where this species is known to frequent
- In areas such as the Far Islands, where this species is frequently observed, it is advisable that divers enter (and are retrieved from) the water as close as possible to the reef.
- In areas such as the Far Islands, where this species is frequently observed, it is illegal to be involved in any night diving activities.

HEPCA: 9 June 2009

Classifieds printed version - published monthly

2009-05-10T01:57:00.000-07:00

The following is a growing list of Distributors for our Classifieds printed version.

Thanks to our distributors :

In Hurghada:
Abo Ashra family
Abo Ashra Mall
Abo ashra mamsha
Ayam Zaman
Bombay Flowers
Bordihien's Restaurant
Bovary Spa
Budda Ramoza
Bulls Restaurant
Café Del Mar Restaurant
Calypso
Cinnabon
Coppa Cabana Ice Cream Booth
Corsini Cafe
Costa Cafe
Da cappo Restaurant
Da Nanni Restaurant
Dreams beach
Drifters Restaurant
Esplanada Sphinx
Felfela
Fish House
Flowers
Focus
Fred swim academy/Marriott Hotel
French School
German School
Global Promotions
Go Cart
Go Fresh
Hard Rock
Havana
Lebanese Restaurant
Living Room/Little Dutch Cafe
Little Buddha
The Lodge
Mcdonald's
Meshmesha
Miramar
Oasis
Orange café
Paccino
Papas1
Papas2
Pescada
Rancho
Sabirova Dance school in Kotta's Mall
Salon
Shez Sam
Sindbad Bowling
Sofi Café
Star Bar
Star Fish
Sushi Gushi
Terrace
Turkish bath
Viking
Yasca

In El Gouna:
El Gouna Book Shop
El Gouna Hospital
Moods
Segafredo
The Club House

If you are interested in Distributing, please contact us: classifieds@spotredsea.com

Investment property at golf resort in Egypt

2009-03-23T02:59:00.000-07:00

Egypt has long been a popular tourist destination for British holidaymakers, but it has steadfastly remained below the radar for property investors - possibly because of its perceived instability. This could soon change: in an attempt to boost demand from British buyers, some Egyptian developers are offering credit-crunched UK investors extra incentives to part with their cash. For example, Orascom, the developer behind the El Gouna resort on the Red Sea Riviera, will pay buyers a return of 3.25 per cent - more than they might get if they left their money in a savings account - if they are prepared to pay for their property upfront rather than in stages.

El Gouna is a short drive north of Hurghada, one of Egypt's property hotspots, which teems with high-rise apartment blocks. El Gouna is much more attractive, with plenty of open spaces and miles of beaches. The 9,000-acre purpose-built resort has been developed by Orascom, which is controlled by the billionaire Sawiris family. Building started in 1990: there are now 14 hotels and more than 2,000 villas and apartments, as well as an 18-hole golf course, a yacht marina and dozens of shops, bars and restaurants. The next phase of development is Ancient Sands Golf Resort, a 650-acre site whose focus will be a Karl Litten-designed golf course.

Source - Times online Property

Campbell cleans up

2009-03-23T02:55:00.000-07:00

British champion freediver Sara Campbell joined a team of 22 scuba divers on a Red Sea liveaboard to help clean up Egypt's reefs. The week was part of a month of subsidised clean-up safaris that tour operator blue o two has been running throughout 2009 to support the HEPCA's (Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association) Hayah campaign.

Hayah (meaning life in Arabic) is a broad initiative aimed at educating the tourists and people working within the diving industry to protect the marine environment while supporting sustainable income for the local communities.

'I've always had a close connection with the environment, and am delighted that I can use my diving to reach a wider audience to help protect not only the Red Sea, but all water environments,' said Campbell. 'I was on the fourth Hayah/blue o two clean-up week and we brought up around 30kg of rubbish, mainly glass, cans, plastic wrapper and fishing lines. The amount of waste that ends up in the sea is shocking - it not only looks horrible, but it destroys the reefs and particularly in the case of fishing lines and nets, can create the most awful devastation to the wildlife.'

Guests on board the liveaboard the following week, picked up more than 100kg of rubbish including used oil and diesel filters, according to blue o two.

HEPCA project manager Natalie Tyler said: 'Simply by seeing that divers are prepared to spend time and money on holiday to clean up the reefs makes a big impact on the boat crew and encourages them to adopt more environmentally friendly ways of living at sea, from waste disposal to cleaning materials they use. We can't pinpoint the waste problem at one group - everyone is responsible for looking after the future of the sea.'

For more information about the Hayah project see www.hepca.com or for details about the subsidised clean up trips see www.blueotwo.com.

Source - Dive Magazine

Soma Bay’s The Cascades receives top Golf Award for the second time

2009-03-23T02:53:00.001-07:00

Soma Bay’s stunning Cascades Championship Golf Course has been ranked the number one golf course in the world outside of Europe for the second year running. This award is given by the readers of one of Germany’s leading golf magazines, Golf Journal, and is considered to be one of the highest accolades in the golfing press world.

The 18 hole par 72 Cascades is the first in many ways in Egypt and was the first golf course open for play on the western Red Sea coast when launched in 1999. Designed by Gary Player, The Cascades is also the first Championship course in the Middle East designed by one of the "Big Three" (Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer). At the inaugural tournament, Gary Player described the course as "the next Pebble Beach."

The desert and oceanfront links design of The Cascades makes the most of its spectacular setting directly on the beautiful Red Sea coast. Nine of the holes feature the added excitement of water hazards and the whole course offers memorable views of the lush green fairways contrasting dramatically with the rugged desert and the clear blue sea.

The Cascades is the highlight of the extensive golf facilities at Soma Bay’s renowned Cascades Golf and Country Club. Adjacent to the Championship course, is the 9 hole, Par 3 Challenge Course, also designed by Gary Player, that offers both the beginner and the more advanced golfer the opportunity to practice a variety of shots with emphasis on the short game.

Source - Soma Bay - PR & Marketing Dept

Azure Overseas Points to Egypt for Property Investment

2009-03-23T02:49:00.000-07:00

Overseas property specialists Azure Overseas have highlighted Egypt as a country ripe for property investment. Azure director Frank Crowley made the following statement about Egypt:

"We are currently recommending Egypt to our investors, especially those on a very tight budget looking to make immediate gains. We have resort properties in Hurghada, one of the most popular areas with tourists [Egypt being a popular destination as a whole] from just £17,000. These can easily fetch rental yields upwards of 8%, and our analysts predict they will make at least a 15% immediate capital gain when the development is completed. We are also recommending Egypt because of its favourable tax regime, i.e. no capital gains or inheritance tax, and rental income taxed at standard income rates."

Frank Crowley's statements follow another recommendation for Egypt property investment, US property billionaire Sam Zell recently recommended the country because of an "enormous shortage of housing".

Source - Write about property

Jaz Hotels & Resorts set for 2009 expansion

2009-02-23T01:24:00.000-08:00

Jaz Hotels & Resorts, a unique collection of highly regarded brands encompassing Jaz Resorts, Iberotel Hotels & Resorts, Sol Y Mar Resorts and the Travcotel Nile cruise fleet, is set for a major expansion in 2009 which will see more than 3000 rooms added to its portfolio of properties in and around the Red Sea.

A total of 11 new properties, opening between January and December 2009, will include Jaz branded five star hotels in Sharm El Sheikh, Marsa Matrouh, Ain El Sokhna, Taba and Hurghada as well as Sol Y Mar branded four-star hotels in Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh and the newly opened five-star Iberotel Cairo Hotel and Casino.

Source - Easier.com

Red Sea Goes Green

2009-02-23T01:21:00.000-08:00

Tourists might associate Egypt with the Pyramids and the Sphinx, but the Ministry of Tourism is hoping that the country will also become known as a leader in sustainability. In 2008, a number of new programmes were launched to protect Egypt's natural resources and preserve its cultural heritage.

An increasing number of visitors means that Egypt is more concerned than ever about protecting its environment, even as it works to promote a growing array of diverse tourist destinations. […]

An example of the Red Sea's sudden prominence as a travel destination was its recent appearance on The New York Times' list of "44 Places to Go in 2009." But in an earlier article, the paper had warned that Hurghada, the region's main resort, has already seen much of its natural beauty eroded, and that visitors are better off diving from smaller coastal towns such as Ain Sukhna or Safaga, or even forgoing the region all together in favour of the Sinai Peninsula.

In a bid to reduce the environmental impact of the growing influx of tourists while maximising economic opportunity, the Tourism Development Authority (TDA)Tourism Development Authority (TDA) and Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) partnered in 2005 with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to launch the Livelihoods and Income from the Environment (LIFE) programme. The $20.5m initiative ended in September of last year and focused on three major components of environmental protection in Egypt : integrated water resources management; lead pollution remediation and clean-up in the Qalyoubia governorate; and support for sustainable economic growth in the Red Sea governorate. The Red Sea region in particular received $12.7m, with funding going toward technical support, the implementation of new training programmes and fostering general awareness of environmental issues. More specifically, LIFE helped design community-based solid waste systems in Marsa Alam, Hamata and Shalateen, along with a house reef management system for Red Sea hotels. The partnership also helped the EEAA to designate 14 islands in the Red Sea as protected territory, thus preserving approximately 17,000 sq km of sensitive habitat.

Source - Zawya

First Choice Tips Egypt To Be a 2009 Family Holiday Hotspot

2009-02-23T01:18:00.001-08:00

Leading family holiday company First Choice, is tipping Egypt to be a popular destination for family holidays this year, as thousands of holiday-makers flock to the North African country to take advantage of what it has to offer.

According to the recent Foreign and Commonwealth Office and ABTA report British visitor numbers to Egypt has risen 38% in the last year* and it’s not hard to see why. As the pound suffers against the Euro, families are looking to countries out-side the euro-zone for their holidays and not only that Egypt also offers a wide range of high standard accommodation offering all-inclusive board making it easier to budget spending money.

Combining history, culture and year-round sun, holidays in Egypt have always been popular, but this year, the country is proving to be exceptionally good value for money with all-inclusive resorts and a favorable exchange rate.

There’s so much to do and see with snorkeling in the Red Sea to visiting the Pyramids of Giza and Luxor, and if you are planning to get married abroad but want somewhere with a flight time of less than six hours follow in the foot steps of Spice Girl Mel B who wed Stephen Belafonte in Hurghada last November in a four-day family extravaganza.

Source - Response Source

Ecotourism outweighs irresponsible travel

2009-02-23T01:15:00.001-08:00

Ecotourism is slowly developing across the world, as people begin to recognise the effects that irresponsible travelling can have on third-world communities and the environment.

But some countries are still at risk from the damaging effects that tourism has on local communities, such as water abuse, poverty, and environmental damage.

Kay Taylor discusses the implications of irresponsible tourism in under-developed countries, outlines the benefits of ecotourism, and offers ways in which travellers can contribute towards improved working and living conditions for indigenous communities.

Each year, two million people visit Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt, spending their money on local foods and souvenirs. Yet only 3% of this money remains in the local area and contributes towards Sharm El-Sheikh’s community development, because such resources are transported into the country rather than sourced locally.

This also results that the area produces ten times more waste than elsewhere, which vastly harms the environment.

This situation is only likely to worsen as tourism expands, as the majority of tourists are arguably unaware of the harrowing effects their holiday is having on the local people of the areas they are visiting.

Source - Female First

Instant weekend ... Aqaba

2009-02-23T01:12:00.001-08:00

Go now for cloudless skies, superb diving and snorkelling, long, sandy beaches and top-rated hotels

Why go now?
Because Aqaba's weather forecast for the next three or four months is cloudless skies, temperatures around 25-30C and low humidity. This modest town on Jordan's Red Sea coast could not be more different from its brash Egyptian neighbours Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada: locals outnumber tourists, souks remain authentically grungy - and the whole area is a duty-free zone.

Aqaba offers superb diving and snorkelling, long, sandy beaches and top-rated hotels. Sunsets are exceptional and framed by rugged mountains, palm trees and shimmering water. Plus, the stone-carved city of Petra and deserts of Wadi Rum are on the doorstep.

Checking in
The swanky Radisson SAS (00 962 3201 4448; radissonsas.com) has just opened on Tala Bay, 15km south of town, offering airy, minimalist rooms (from £137) and numerous pools, lounges and restaurants. For its palm-fringed beach, excellent restaurants and unbeatable city-centre location, the Mövenpick (00 962 3203 4020; movenpick.com) is a great choice, with doubles from £142, while Captain's (00 962 3206 0710) is a sleek, stylish three-star just back from the beach, doubles from £78. If you're on a budget, hang out at the hippyish Bedouin Garden Village (00 962 77 762 7933; bedouin-hotels.com), where simple, well-kept doubles cost around £23.

Hit the streets
Start at the 14th-century Mamluke fort on the beach: its twin-towered gateway features an Arabic inscription recording renovations made around 1510. In 1917, an Ottoman garrison was expecting an attack from the sea when an Arab army under TE Lawrence stormed in from the mountains. Alongside, the Aqaba Archaeological Museum (00 962 3201 9063) displays medieval Chinese ceramics and the first milestone of a highway built by the Roman emperor Trajan to link Aqaba with Syria.

There's world-class diving and snorkelling on offer. SeaStar (00 962 3201 3735; aqabadivingseastar.com) and Dive Aqaba (00 962 79 660 0701; diveaqaba.com), among others, can host anything from an hour's snorkelling to week-long Padi dive courses.

Source - The Guardian

Liveaboard donated to Red Sea Cleanup

2009-01-06T23:35:00.000-08:00

Red Sea liveaboard operator blue o two has donated one of its vessels to conservationists running reef cleanups for the whole of January.

Following a series of successful cleanups run from liveaboard trips in 2008, blue o two is donating its northern Red Sea vessel M/Y Blue Fin to the Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association (HEPCA) during January.

The operator is also offering divers reduced prices on week-long trips. Guests joining the subsidised trips take part in cleanups of the Egyptian Red Sea's most littered shorelines between regular holiday dives, and can attend on-board seminars by marine biologist and dive guide Elke Bojanowski.

Together with HEPCA, blue o two is focusing on cleaning reefs that are accessible by daily snorkelling and diving vessels. It says these areas are prone to more rubbish being thrown overboard by visitors. Blue o two has won the Responsible Tourism Award for Best In a Marine Environment for the past two years, and the Hayah reef project is the latest environmental scheme to be supported by the operator.

'When the idea was born, we were not sure if people would be interested in giving up some of their precious holiday time to clean reefs and learn about global ocean devastation,' said Natalie Tyler of blue o two. 'How refreshingly wrong we were. We have now operated four successful trips. Then we devoted M/Y Blue Fin to the project for January. Critics might say that the only attraction in these safaris is the subsidised price, but in talking to our guests I don't believe this is entirely true.'

As part of the Hayah project, conservationists plan to collate statistical analysis of the rubbish collected, such as weight and type of waste found. 'We schedule in two to three cleanups a week,' said Tyler. 'Divers go down in groups with the aim of collecting as much removable rubbish as possible. Before each clean, our divers are briefed on the importance of not removing rubbish that has become a marine creature's home. The Hayah project is funded purely by blue o two. The end result is affordable ecotourism.' Amr Ali, HEPCA chairman, said: 'As the sense of responsibility grows bigger among divers and travellers, soon we will see the day when the main factor in choosing a diving or tour operator will be the social responsibility of that operator towards the community, nature and the globe.'

Source - Dive Magazine UK

Mummification: a spa art in Egypt

2009-01-04T00:13:00.001-08:00

Might the new spa at the Hilton Luxor be going a little overboard? The Nayara holistic cocooning treatment (70 minutes; £114) is, a source advises, “inspired by the art of mummification, which was developed with the aim of immortalising the soul”. It turns out the treatment merely comprises exfoliation, a wrap, skin-nourishing, a facial and head massage. And we were so looking forward to brains extracted through the nose.

Source - Times Online

Egypt's real estate market catches global attention

2009-01-04T00:08:00.000-08:00

Sam Zell, the property moghul who made billions in 2007 when he sold his Equity Office Properties (EOP) portfolio to Blackstone for $38 billion, recently shortlisted the top three property investment destinations - Brazil, China and (surprise!) Egypt.

After years of state-built housing, in the early 1990s, the Egyptian government allowed private housing projects. Soon, there was oversupply, developers went bankrupt, and from 1997 on there was a property crisis. Now the market is booming again.

House prices are rising strongly in Egypt. There are three key areas in Egypt - Cairo, Hurghada and Sharm Al Shaikh. Most appreciation has been in the new developments, such as New Cairo and in the new Red Sea projects.

Why Egypt?

For one, it is a tourism superstar. Traffic doubled between 2001 and 2006 and Egypt forecasts 13 million visitors in 2008, 19 per cent more than in 2007. Tourism and investment has been boosted by the free float of the Egyptian Pound in 2003, which suddenly made Egypt and Egyptian property much more affordable and popular. A benefit of tourism is that property investment for short-term rentals is a very viable proposition.

The incredibly low prices are another plus at an average of Dh220 per square foot. For prime residential property in a major city, comparable Middle East prices are Dh2,438 per square foot in the UAE, Dh760 in Lebanon, Dh536 in Morocco and Dh393 in Jordan. A new three-bedroom villa in New Cairo can cost Dh600,000. One-bedroom beachfront apartments in the resorts of Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh go for average Dh150,000 and Dh260,000 respectively.

In 2001, the mortgage law was passed and this has ignited the mortgage market as banks can now repossess properties and evict defaulting owners. This has been positive for the property market.

Source - Gulf News

Egypt puts a stop to tourist convoys

2009-01-03T23:58:00.000-08:00

End of security convoys will result in more freedom to explore Egypt independently and see obscure sights. For the past 10 years, if you wanted to see the treasures along the Nile and you didn’t want to go by boat, you had to travel in an armed convoy. Not any more.

In the wake of the 1997 attack at the Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor, the Egyptian government obliged all foreigners travelling overland between the country’s main tourist centres to join armed convoys. This visible security was intended to dissuade attacks and reassure visitors, but it has long outlived its usefulness.

Ironically, in the absence of any attacks, the convoys have become the biggest danger: in high season, as many as 100 coaches and minivans have raced across the desert from the Red Sea resorts every day.

The effect of this rally on the antiquities, particularly in Luxor, has been disastrous. In spite of new parking facilities, neither the Valley of the Kings nor Karnak Temple is able to cope with the simultaneous arrival of thousands of visitors: when I visited the Valley of the Kings just ahead of the convoy a couple of weeks ago, there was only one guard on the gate to check tickets.

Things should be very different now. Even if you are only visiting Luxor, the end of the convoys should mean a (slightly) calmer visit to the main sights. Coaches will still arrive from the Red Sea, though, one hopes, not all at the same time.

Source - The Times Online

Egypt's Red Sea Resort becomes a Tourism EarthLung

2008-12-01T05:34:00.000-08:00

Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt's Red Sea Resort today became the second EarthLung destination of the world. Egypt's Minister of Tourism, Zoheir Garranah, declared the commitment of Egyptian Tourism and said, "Following the initiative of Sri Lanka, we are happy to join the Tourism EarthLung Community with our resort destination, Sharm el Sheikh, committing to work towards becoming a carbon neutral destination in the future". This declaration was made at the opening of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) supported Conference for the Middle East and Mediterranean Region on the theme "Tourism: Responding to a Turbulent Economy and Changing Climate" held this week at Sharm El Sheikh's Jolie Ville Convention Centre.

The conference organised by the Egyptian Tourism Ministry and industry associations, had Francesco Frangialli, the outgoing Secretary General of the UNWTO, Dr. Peter Keller, former Chair of the OECD Tourism Committee, Dr. Ghassan Aidi, President of the International Hotel and Restaurant Association, Martin Brackenbury, President of the International Federation of Tour Operators, Dr. Bandar Alfhaid, Head of the Arab Tourism Organisation, Prof. Terry de Lacy of the Victoria University and many other key tourism figures from the region among its presenters.

Source - Zawya

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TBT Free Zone

2008-12-01T05:32:00.000-08:00

HEPCA is pleased to announce that the Red Sea is now officially a TBT-free zone.

Following a decree from H.E. Eng. Magdy El Qubaisy, Governor of the Red Sea, it is now prohibited to sell or use any kind of paint materials containing the chemical compound Tributyltin (TBT).

This chemical has been commonly used in anti-fouling paints that protect ship’s hulls from unwanted marine growths. However, it has been strongly linked to damage and death of marine life, as well causing harmful effects to the environment and wider public health. This decree follows similar legislation throughout the world.

Please ensure that you now purchase TBT-free paints only. This decree also enforces the marking of all such paint containers with the TBT-free sign.

Source – HEPCA Press Release

Mövenpick plans upscale resort in Abu Soma

2008-11-20T00:33:00.000-08:00

Another holiday resort will be added to the comprehensive Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts portfolio at the Red Sea beginning in 2010. A management agreement was recently signed with the owning company International Company for Tourism and Hotel Investments for the exclusive Mövenpick Resort Abu Soma with 424 rooms and suites.

Abu Soma, with its countless coral reefs, is exceptionally popular among member of the diving community. Just 45 kilometers south of Hurghada and 150 kilometers north of Marsa Alam, Abu Soma is also beloved for its gradually sloping beaches and as an ideal starting point for sea or desert excursions – Luxor is only 200 kilometers away, for example.

“We are proud to carry out this unique project in cooperation with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. The Swiss hotel group enjoys an excellent reputation here and is one of the strongest hotel brands in Egypt,” said Abdul Aziz Al Mawardi, the owner of the project.

The Mövenpick Resort Abu Soma is located directly on the shore of the Red Sea and has 424 spaciously laid out rooms and suites. Several swimming pools and water landscapes enrich the vast gardens leading directly to the sandy seaside beach.

Source - Easier.com

A Khawaga’s Tale: Here comes the sun

2008-11-11T23:45:00.000-08:00

We are not only on the verge of a new leader of the free world, which should be known at breakfast on Wednesday morning, but we are on the verge of the cold weather too.

By my calculations it is just a little early yet to reach for the woollies, I think we have at least another week of temperatures in the high 20s.

A few Cairenes ran for their scarf last Monday, but it warmed up over the weekend. My prediction; the temperature will drop to the low 20s on Wednesday Nov. 12 and that will be it for the warming sun until mid-February.

Cairo is a slave to the sun and with the tilt of the Earth turned towards the southern hemisphere more and more, we are getting less and less sun each day and the nights are drawing in.

The sun is now tracking low across the southern sky, with the Dec. 21 solstice fast approaching, when it will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, and as we are just 7° N of the Tropic of Cancer, we are thus heading towards our shortest day.

You can visit the Tropic of Cancer, approximately 23.5° N, and south of Aswan. I’ve never been, but I suspect there is a line painted on the ground at Philae Temple, where you can witness the summer solstice on June 21.

So, give it another week, and the biggest influence over our climate will be too low in the sky to keep back the moist cool air seeping in from the Mediterranean. Then reach for the scarf and winter woollies.

Egypt is a bit of a paradise for the earth science boffin. There is a divergent plate boundary, where a rift has formed between Africa and the Arabian tectonic plates, which began to part about 30 million years ago.

Thirty million is not that long in geological time; in fact the rift that runs into East Africa is the youngest geological break-up on the planet, with the Red Sea continuing to widen about 2 cm per year.

In the mountains of South Sinai veins of basalt and other volcanic intrusion streak through the granite rock giving them a striped appearance. But allegedly traces of the once volcanic past exist in the hot springs in the caves at Jebel Musa and two warm mineral springs near Tor.

In Dahab, you can scuba dive through lava tubes and I remember the Canyon dive at the Blue Hole to be some type of hollowed out lava flow.

Source - Egypt Daily News

1000 artworks to see before you die: Ancient Egypt

2008-11-05T00:33:00.000-08:00

It is in Egyptian art that proportion, geometry and the idea of beauty first appear. The grace and sensuality, not just of Greek art but of all the cultures of the Mediterranean, grew out of Egypt.

The most famous sculpture in Africa seems to be slowly melting back into the desert out of which it was carved. The Great Sphinx is hewn out of the natural bedrock beneath the sands of Giza in Egypt, where it sits in leonine grandeur by the causeway leading to the pyramid of Khafre, the middle-sized of the site's three pyramids. It was created in about 2500BC, early in ancient Egypt's long artistic triumph; more than two-and-a-half millennia later the Roman emperor Hadrian would build an Egyptian religious garden at his villa in Tivoli, drawing on a style of sculpture that was still very much alive in the early Christian era.

If many people's idea of art is dominated by the European model of a succession of styles and movements from Greek classicism to American minimalism and beyond, the art of ancient Egypt has — alone among non-European cultures — long been accepted into this grand narrative. When the sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini placed an Egyptian obelisk on the back of a marble elephant in Rome as a homage to the "wise Egyptian", or Napoleon exorted his army at the Battle of Pyramids, they did not see Egyptians as a lesser people but as the oldest sages and artists, the fount of Europe's culture. But were they right?

In defiance of the reverence for Egypt so visible in Renaissance and Enlightenment Europe, modern art historians have often found ways to cut the Egyptian influence out of their subject. In his famous book The Story of Art, EH Gombrich pointed out that Egyptian art changed little in its 3,000-year history and that Egyptian artists never progressed from stately profiles and sidelong views of feet to the fully rounded, action-packed art of Greece that, in his view, embodied a European "great awakening". But that is to look through the wrong end of the telescope. The Greeks developed skills the Egyptians never explored — but they did this entirely on the back of the Egyptian achievement. It is in Egyptian art that proportion, geometry and the idea of beauty first appear. The grace and sensuality, not just of Greek art but of all the cultures of the Mediterranean, grew out of Egypt. You can see this in the Head of Nefertiti or the great wooden Ka statue in the Cairo Museum. The cliched image of Egyptian art as highly formalised and static is totally wrong: it abounds in realism, humour and variety, from the moving portrait sculpture of the dwarf Seneb sitting next to his long-legged wife that dates from the same era as the Sphinx to all the miniature painted models of farmers, sailors and domestic scenes to be seen in museums around the world.

If Europe got its idea of beauty from ancient Egypt, what did Africa get? It is often considered dangerous to trace equatorial African art back to Egypt because in the past this has been a racist excuse to deny original creativity south of the Sahara. But there might be something equally destructive about denying any connection between the monuments of Egypt and later African masterpieces such as the bronze and terracotta sculptures made at Ife in the 12th century, with their strong sense of beauty. Africa and Europe meet between the paws of the Sphinx.

Source - The Guardian

Egyptian Property Avoids The Crunch

2008-11-05T00:17:00.000-08:00

The quest for the 'safest' overseas property investment in the current climate is one of the biggest questions at the moment. We take a look at how Egypt is avoiding the credit crunch and building for a prosperous future. Another approach, and one that looks like it might do well in the future, is that taken by Egypt. By concentrating on the quality of developments and preserving the integrity of the coastline of the Red Sea from over development, as well as diversifying where visitors to the country come from, Egypt should be well-placed to weather the storms other destinations in overseas property are finding hard to endure.

One of the biggest problems in some of the more traditional overseas property markets, many of which are experiencing problems in the current financial and economic situation, is that they rely heavily on visitors from one or two nations for both property sales and tourist visitor numbers. In this way, should the economy of that country take a turn downwards, or even if something as simple as flight prices increase, developers, agents, hotels and tour operators are left with capacity to fill.

Egypt has become one of the top year-round sunshine destinations for UK tourists, many of whom are attracted by the prospect of guaranteed winter sunshine within five hours of the UK. Egypt has, however, managed to extend its attraction to overseas visitors to France, Italy, Germany, Russia and Scandinavia. This flow of visitors, many of whom come back to the country numerous times, are then being attracted by the efforts of the Egyptian government to promote residential tourism in the key areas of the Red Sea Riviera. The strength in visitor numbers should mean that the country does not see too much of a drop in visits through the credit crunch, given that they come from such a wide selection of countries.

While the government is taking significant steps to facilitate residential tourism and attract overseas property buyers, it is not allowing free rein to the builders and speculators to pick and choose the best site without regard for the consequences. Government intervention has been concentrated on infrastructure, while planning restrictions have kept the supply of property down, thus boosting price growth.

The authorities in Egypt also seem to be learning from their own experiences in building tourist destinations, as well as the examples of other countries. The first resorts on the Red Sea coastline, Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada and Dahab, while still being successful and promising destinations for the overseas property buyer, were created by a tourist industry that was feeling its way into the market. With new resorts, more urban planning and restrictions are in place, and infrastructure improvements are at the top of the list, ahead of bringing in money immediately.

One such new resort is Sahl Hasheesh, located around 20 minutes south of Hurghada. This new resort is designed to attract the higher end of the market, and already has in place a suite-only hotel and plans for some sumptuous residential developments. With a new marina aiming to attract the yachting and diving fraternity, and golf courses around Hurghada providing even more leisure facilities, the prospects for Sahl Hasheesh are rosy.

Source - PR Inside