By Muhammed Aladdin
In a press conference held last Thursday, Emad Hassan, Advisor to Tourism Minister for Sustainable Tourism, has stated that more than 80 hotels, with 20,000 hotel rooms, have obtained the Green Star Certificate for Environmental Sustainability.
The honoring ceremony was attended by a number of government officials including Tourism Minister, Rania Al-Mashat, representatives of the Chambers of Tourism, and Parliamentarians of the Aviation and Tourism Committee.
Mr. Hassan stressed that the Ministry of Tourism is working hand in hand with Parliament and the Hotel Facilities Chambers to ease the transition of various hotels to more environmental-friendly practices. For instance, many of Cairo’s household names of the hospitality business, such as the J.W. Marriott, are willingly choosing to use solar power to generate electricity instead of traditional methods that could be damaging to the environment.
One of the Ministry’s top priorities has always been achieving sustainable development of the Egyptian tourism experience while preserving the environment at the same time. Despite the setbacks, officials are looking forward to providing a unique, attractive touristic product that contributes positively to economic, social, as well as environmental development.
Recently, a unit in the Ministry of Tourism has been initiated for overseeing the government’s agenda for sustainable tourism.
As for the Green Star Certification, it is awarded to tourist accommodation businesses in Egypt for their commitment to environmentally friendly management and social responsibility. It has been established as a project of major Egyptian and German stakeholders, working for bettering the hospitality field in Egypt.
Ever since its application in 2012, the two parties have been working on raising awareness in regards to green tourism and rewarding environmentally-friendly practices. After nearly a decade, the fruit of their effort is starting to take shape.
The hospitality business has been one of the major contributors to environmental decline. However, the international community is actively working on transforming the field for the better.
It seems that Egypt is changing for the better; more and more of us are waking up to the environmental damage that has accumulated as a result of centuries of man-made industrial activities. Nevertheless, it is good to see that the government and the people are taking the initiative to preserve our world.
WE SAID THIS: These hotels are paving the way for a more responsible Egypt!
