Jaz Hotels & Resorts set for 2009 expansion

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

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

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

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

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