Ecolodges in Egypt :
                                    Lodging for the New Millennium

 It is with great pleasure that I introduce this Ecolodge Forum CD Rom, a CD version of the proceedings from the Tourism development Authority ( TDA’s ) Ecolodge Forum, held
March 25 – 27, 2000 at the Cairo Sheraton Hotel.

 The three-day Ecolodge Forum was designed to deepen the knowledge and understanding of tourism investors, developers, financiers, architects, construction firms, tourism professionals and other interested parties concerning the future and viability of ecolodges in Egypt.

 The “core” areas of the Forum comprised five half-day sessions covering:
- International Ecotourism Market
- Ecolodge Design and Construction Guidelines and Practices
- Financing
- Destination Integration: Ecolodges, Visitor Activities and Protected Areas
- Case Studies from Egypt

The papers presented during the Forum are contained in the CD, together with photos from the event, images of ecolodges in Egypt and elsewhere in the world and related information on this fast growing sector.

 I can tell you without hesitation that the TDA takes pride in its responsibility to develop and promote sustainable tourism. The subject of ecolodges is one that proved of great importance to the industry, as demonstrated by the outstanding attendance at the Forum, over 500 people participated over the course of three days.

 The TDA undertook this Forum in conjunction with the Red Sea Sustainable Tourism Initiative (RSSTI) and Development Training II (DTII) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

 Best Practices:

 The TDA is committed to safeguarding the unique natural and cultural resources that are bringing tourists to the country. Finding the balance between conservation and development is at the heart of how the TDA approaches its responsibility to sustainably develop tourism in Egypt. Everything that we do is done in partnership with the EEAA, the Governorates and the tourism investors with whom we work. 

 One of the areas we work aggressively on is the development and dissemination of “Best Practices” and other environmental programs intended for investors and developers through education and awareness programs. The Ecolodge Forum is but one part of our efforts to promote “best practices.”

 Other of our current environmental initiatives include:
  1-The TDA is committed to creating private-public sector environmental partnerships that lead to greater economic competitiveness and investment while simultaneously protecting the environment and health of Egyptians. We have a pilot program to develop Environmental Management System (EMS) for hotels underway at the moment and will be releasing guidelines foe coducting hotel audits and preparing Hotel EMS’ at a National EMS for Hotels Workshop in October 2000 .
  2-We are preparing guidelines for what we term “ Deep Range Mountain and desert Tourism” covering such subjects as water and sanitation practices in the deep range, energy generation, appropriate building materials and landscaping. These identified “best practices” will be released in November, 2000.

 Please look for CD Rom versions of each of the above activities!

 Ecotourism in Egypt :

Recognized as the fastest growing sector of the international travel and tourism industry, ecotourism has long been identified as a market with great potential for Egypt. Ecotourism is an integral part of a sustainable-use approach to the environment and is at the root of many international efforts to set aside protected areas in the form of national parks and reserves. The TDA is extremely supportive of all efforts to attract a larger portion of the international ecotourism market for travelers to experience the natural marine and terrestrial wonders of this country.

 If we accept the principle that ecotourism must operate on sustainable tourism principles, and we are committed to creating environmentally responsible tourism for the purpose of environmental education, distribution of revenus, the success of Egypt’s growing cadre of tourism enterpreneurs and contributing to conservation, then we can potentially be involved in the most significant transition in the travel industry since Thomas Cooke invented travelers checks. The “green princile” that stand behind this.

New and innovative field are a cause for celebration as we see an entire industry shifting its focus toward sustainability and “best practices” necessary to bring this forward.

Many of the speakers who presented at the Ecolodge Forum, both national and international, emphasized the importance of the links between these new style of lodging developments and opportunities for visitor recreation in and around natural areas. The TDA envisions this relationship between conservation and development – ecotourism -- to comprise the heart of what we are striving to achieve for the country: sustainable tourism development.