The new tourism legislation discussed with the Egyptian government by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli provides for increased penalties for persecuting tourists. However, it should be emphasized that tourists will not be the object of these punitive measures – on the contrary, Egyptian swindlers, petty hooligans, as well as harassers who sell souvenirs and interfere with tourists.
The new legislation will be part of Egypt’s national tourism strategy, which will be announced soon. According to the Egyptian media, the strategy was prepared by leading international experts in the field of tourism and highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the sector in Egypt, and introduces the necessary mechanisms of action and recommendations of experts in various related fields.
In particular, at the meeting with the Prime Minister, the mentioned law on increasing the punishment for persecuting tourists was violated. The law’s main purpose is to “limit any behavior that affects the movement of inbound tourism and hinders efforts to develop tourism,” as Egyptian officials put it.
In particular, the local media remind that the prosecutor’s office recently ordered the detention of thirteen suspects, including three adults and ten others aged 13 to 15, who were placed in a juvenile rehabilitation center pending an investigation into the charges. in sexual harassment of two tourists in the area of the Pyramids of Giza. The accusation was a 35-second video clip shared on social networks on Thursday, in which a group of young people clung to tourists near the pyramids of Giza. The video caused outrage and the activists were soon detained.