El Gouna prepares for Egypt's first green tourism initiative
Last updated 8/13/2008 3:22:21 PM
El Gouna looks forward to its very first batch of green audits
El Gouna, one of Egypt’s top resort developments, is preparing for its first batch of ‘green’ audits by the Green Star Hotel Initiative, which will take place in October 2008.
The Green Star Hotel Initiative aims to create a “national pilot” for an environmentally-friendly label for hotels and resorts in destinations throughout Egypt and the Middle East.
Taking into account the local climactic and cultural characteristics of Egypt, the Green Star Hotel Initiative concentrates on areas such as environmental management, water, energy, waste, guest information, F&B (food and beverage) and catering.
All criteria are based upon internationally recognized criteria, including those developed by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and also by a range of international organisations, such as EcoTrans.
The Red Sea resort, owned by Orascom Hotels and Development (OHD), is the first tourist destination in Egypt to be evaluated under this scheme. The town, built on 10 km of beach, is located 20 km away from the Hurghada International Airport.