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Al-Ahram Weekly 1 - 7 April 1999 Issue No. 423 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 1 - 7 April 1999 Issue No. 423
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Interview Profile Features Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Keeping Sinai clean
By Rehab SaadA group of "green-thinking" businessmen have made a big investment -- in the environment. The reason is simple. A poor environment means fewer tourists. And in an area such as Sinai, where the economy relies heavily on the tourism dollar, such an investment is money well spent.
Three investors in Nuweiba and Dahab on the Gulf of Aqaba have spent about LE50,000 from their own private funds to conserve the environment. Sherif El-Ghamrawy, Mohamed El-Qabbany and Sherif Ebeid have hired a private company to establish solid waste transfer stations to clean up the area.
"The project started a year ago," said Dr Leila Iskandar, managing director of Community and Institutional Development (CID) company. "The business community called us for help. They felt there was a problem and realised that unless steps were taken it would affect their investments," Iskandar said.
She explained that one of the problems in newly-developed areas was the rubble left by construction workers at tourist villages. "Investors leave stones, bricks and mortar because it is cheaper to ignore it than transport it. Moreover, the problem of solid waste is not only a question of how to collect it but, also, how to use it to an advantage," she said.
In Nuweiba and Dahab, the issue is not yet serious. The number of tourist villages and hotels is low and fewer tourists visit these areas.
But the case in Sharm Al-Sheikh, at the southern tip of Sinai, is more complicated. The high concentration of resorts imposes a greater burden on the community's natural resources.
"I cannot compare Sharm with Dahab and Nuweiba, because in Nabq alone [a small sector in Sharm Al-Sheikh] about 60 projects are under construction. They will be ready for occupation in about five years. We should work hard to face the inevitable environmental problem," said Abdel-Hafiz Abdel-Hamid, an investor in Sinai.
Another investor complained of the lack of environmental accountability that existed. While various bodies in Sharm Al-Sheikh were concerned about the state of the areas, their efforts were spoiled by a lack of coordination. Whenever there is a problem "nobody knows to whom it should be addressed".
Sinai businessmen aim to conserve the environment to promote tourism. They see reefs and pristine deserts as valuable commodities
"We have a major problem in Sharm Al-Mayya [another area in Sharm Al-Sheikh]," said Hatem Wahdan, general manager of the Sharm Al-Mayya hotel company. "We have a garbage dump which has existed for a long time, ever since Sharm had only a handful of hotels. The dump was run by someone who rented the land in South Sinai but it was never developed and no sorting of solid waste is taking place."
Wahdan said the dump (located near his resort) "causes various kinds of pollution. Last November, dark heavy smoke from burning garbage reached the hotel. My German clients were forced to leave and they asked for LE140,000 refund. Now occupancy rates do not exceed seven per cent. We went to the governorate to solve the problem but it was all in vain. We do not know what to do or who we can go to."
Another problem facing investors is sea pollution. Wahdan pointed out that because of crude oil and tar in the bay where his hotel is situated, clients cannot swim because they regard the area as unclean. "I can't do the job of lifting up the oil by myself. This has given a bad reputation not just to my hotel but to the whole Sharm Al-Sheikh area."
In an attempt to solve these problems, about 100 local tourism operators decided to contribute directly to the conservation of the environment. They decided to work with the government represented in the Tourist Development Authority (TDA) and the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). They have founded a new association -- the Tourism Investors Association (TIA) -- to keep an eye on the environment. Its motto is: "our environment is our investment". One aim of the TIA is to protect the area's natural resources by developing and fostering a positive, effective relationship between investors and the various government authorities.
"But it is not that only," stressed Magda Sami, general coordinator of the Policy Implementation Unit at the TDA. "Through the TIA we are trying to introduce and develop environmental awareness among investors, government sectors and the public," she said.
Sami explained that preserving the environment provided a base for the whole area's development. "It creates more jobs and facilities. When the environment deteriorates, the quality of tourists also deteriorates," she said.
TIA's first move was to hold a workshop on the infrastructure of tourist establishments and discuss environmentally responsible development. The workshop dealt with solid waste management, electricity, water desalination, roads and sewage. It was attended by investors, officials from the TDA and EEAA, university professors and engineers. "This is the best way to discuss problems. All parties attend and the field is open for discussion," said TDA chief, Adel Radi.
A declaration of "Best Practices" was one of the most important resolutions taken. Now there is a set of guidelines which explain how to preserve the environment in tourist areas, such as how to care for water and energy resources, manage solid waste, protect areas by providing paths for pedestrians, bicycles and horse riders, and how to recycle sewage water.
"Such practices, prepared in cooperation with USAID, are perfect for investors and we are working hard to have them endorsed by the EEAA," Radi said.
