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Exclusive rights for using the text of this document belong to the rightholder which is the author – Carthage Group international group of companies. This document can be used only with a reference to the author.
I. Arrival in Egypt
II. Hotel accommodation
III. Safety in hotels
IV. Important information for tourists who travel with children
V. Excursion service
VI. Useful information
I. Arrival in Egypt
Before booking a tour you shall study the visa requirements and check the validity of your passports in order to ensure that they comply with the migrations laws of the country that you are going to visit. To be able to enter Egypt, the validity of a foreign citizen’s passport shall be at least 6 months from the last day of the tour. If the validity of the foreign citizen’s passport does not meet the above-mentioned requirement, the entry into Egypt may be denied.
Currently there are two types of visas in Egypt:
At Sharm el-Sheikh airport, in the international flights arrival area, before the passport control area, there is a hall with the booths of various Destination Management Companies (DMCs). Tourists are required to show up at the booth with the OLD EGYPT TRAVEL logo or to the DMC’s employee wearing a uniform with the company’s logo and the OLD EGYPT TRAVEL sign. The DMC’s employees provide the tourists with the migration cards that shall be filled in for each tourist, including the children who are indicated in their parents’ passports. After filling in the migration card, tourists undergo passport control. During the passport control, the customs service officials may require presenting the hotel accommodation voucher and the return flight ticket.
Migration card form:
I. Arrival in Egypt
Egyptian laws prohibit the import of quadcopters and portable radio sets into the territory to the country.
In case the equipment that is prohibited from being imported is discovered during the customs control, it will be confiscated. While confiscating the equipment, the customs service officers draw up the corresponding report and give its copy to the tourist. The tourist shall keep the copy of the report until the end of the trip. On the basis of this report the tourist can retrieve the equipment during the customs control before taking a flight from Egypt.
The return of the confiscated equipment is performed only in the airport where the confiscation took place, and only to the tourist in whose name the report was drawn up. The return of the confiscated equipment to third parties or its return for the purpose of taking a flight from another airport is not allowed.
If a tourist manages to import the prohibited equipment illegally or to purchase it in Egypt, and if the fact of using such equipment is revealed, the equipment will be permanently confiscated, and an administrative or criminal case will be launched against the tourist. The use of the prohibited equipment can be treated by the public authorities as an attempt to breach the public and national security of Egypt. Neither the tour operator nor the DMC can influence the prompt and successful resolution of such situations since this is the issue of the tourist’s personal responsibility for the compliance with the Egyptian laws. Law enforcement authorities hold no negotiations with third parties except for lawyers hired by the travellers for representing their interests and other official representatives of the embassy/consulate of the tourists’ country of citizenship.
In case during the pre-flight inspection before leaving Egypt it is discovered that the tourists carries illegally imported equipment, it will be permanently confiscated, and the tourist will be held administratively liable.
I. Arrival in Egypt
Tourists who have booked an individual transfer shall be met at the exit from the arrival area by a guide wearing a uniform with the OLD EGYPT TRAVEL logo. The individual transfer service is offered with the guide’s accompanying the tourists both during the transfer and during the check-in. Individual transfers are carries out following the “airport-hotel” route without intermediate stops at other hotels.
It is prohibited to install branded booths of the DMCs at the exit from the Egyptian airports. Tourists who have opted for a group transfer shall be met at the exit from the arrival area by a DMC’s travel guide wearing a uniform with the OLD EGYPT TRAVEL log and a branded sigh. The tourists are required to produce to the travel guide their hotel accommodation vouchers. After the voucher control and the tourist’s identification in the group transfer passenger list, the bus number and its location at the parking lot shall be communicated to the tourist. All tourists are recommended to remain near the bus and wait until other passengers who travel on the same bus undergo passport and customs control and claim their luggage.
In case of carrying out a group transfer, the transportation takes place following the “airport-hotel” route with intermediate stops at the hotels whose number gets defined by the DMC depending on the hotels’ location with regard to the airport. The duration of a group transfer depends on a number of factors including the efficiency of the tourists’ leaving the airport building.
The DMC’s representatives shall wait for all the transfer group members. In case of a considerable delay of the tourists’ exit due to passport control problems, carrying of prohibited goods or luggage loss, it is recommended to notify the DMC calling the following hotline phone number in Sharm el-Sheikh +20 112 976 87 84 and Hurghada +20 112 976 87 65 (calls/messages, WhatsApp, Telegram). A full transfer group shall wait for the delaying passengers for no more than 30 minutes; if the tourists do not appear during the afore-mentioned period of time, the bus shall leave the airport. In such cases the transfer or taxi cost is not subject to compensation, and the price of the unused transfer service will not be refunded.
We kindly draw the tourists’ attention to the fact that they are required to treat other transfer members respectfully and follow the generally accepted rules of conduct while a group transfer is carried out. In case a tourist appears for the group transfer in a state of alcoholic intoxication, the DMC may refuse the transportation without compensating the transfer and/or taxi cost for the corresponding route.
During the airport-hotel transfer, the DMC’s representative who accompanies the passengers in the course of an individual or group transfer, informs the tourists on the date and time of an information meeting with the hotel guide. The hotel guides’ names and phone numbers are available in the hotel folder or at the information stand in the hotel lobby. As a rule, information meetings are held on the day of the tourists’ arrival at the hotel or on the following day. During the information meeting, the hotel guide presents important information on the country, insurance policy activation procedure, place of display of the information on the airport transfer arrival, and excursions that can be visited by the tourists during their stay. Apart from holding information meetings, hotel guides answer promptly to all the tourists’ questions and provide assistance in solving issues that may arise during the trip.
Hotel guides’ phone numbers and the DMC’s hotline phone number can be found in publicly available sources of information but such communication channels serve exclusively for interacting with tourists. Hotel guides have no authority to hold any negotiations with third parties, including the representatives of travel agencies or tour operators, tourists’ family members, etc. The hotline phone number serves for establishing a direct contact with tourists and promptly solving their problems. Third parties who are not tourists are advised not to contact this phone number. All requests from travel agencies and tour operators shall be sent exclusively via official communication channels, i.e. email.
The transfer arrival time for carrying out a transportation following the “hotel-airport” route shall be checked by consulting the company folder or the stand in the hotel lobby one day prior to the scheduled departure date (after 6:00 p.m.). In case the tourists experience problems with finding such information or have any questions, they shall contact the hotel guide or call the DMC’s hotline phone number.
The transfer bus route during the return transfer shall be determined by the DMC as well and depends on the hotels’ location with regard to the airport. Tourists shall treat other transfer members respectfully and show up for the transfer in time. In case the tourists are not present at the hotel reception desk, the DMC staff shall take measures for finding them. However, it is not allowed to wait for the tourists for more than 15 minutes since this can lead to the bus’s late arrival for other tourists and a delay in reaching the airport for the flight check-in. In Egypt, flight check-in starts 3 hours prior to the scheduled flight departure time.
In case the tourists have shown up at the meeting point in due time but have found no bus, they shall contact the hotel guide immediately or call the DMC’s hotline phone number.
I. Arrival in Egypt
In case of not finding their suitcase on the luggage claim belt, the tourists shall contact the “Lost & Found” staff where they will be asked to fill in a luggage lost report called the Property Irregularity Report (PIR). The document shall be filled in by the passengers or the airport staff in capital letters in the English language. The tourists shall take a copy of the report and keep it until the luggage return (or for filing a claim to the airline company in case the luggage is not found).
In Egypt, not depending on the city of arrival or on the airline company, there is no delivery of the retrieved luggage to the passenger’s place of accommodation. When the missing luggage is found, the tourist is contacted by the airport or the airline company’s staff and informed on the necessity to arrive at the airport to claim the luggage. Third parties, including the DMC’s staff, have no authority to claim the retrieved luggage instead of the tourists. The passenger in whose name the luggage is registered shall arrive at the airport in person. The tourists can go the airport on their own accord or contact the hotel guide with a request to help them arrange a transfer to the airport and back. The expenses related to such a transfer shall be borne by the tourists.
In case the luggage is found after the trip is over or is declared missing, the tourists are advised to remain in contact with the airline company’s representatives for the purpose of delivering the retrieved luggage or receiving a compensation for the lost luggage.
Example of a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) form:
II. Hotel accommodation
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of the Arab Republic of Egypt regulates the accommodation facilities’ activities by means of issuing and prolonging the necessary licenses, and supervises the compliance with the standards of the services offered by hotels. All accommodation facilities undergo certification and are subsequently assigned a service category (1*-5*).
The DMC offers a wide range of hotels in Egypt which belong to various service and price categories. The hotels within one service category can belong to different price segments, and, consequently, their service options and the quality of service will differ proportionately to the price of accommodation.
Before booking a travel product, the tourists are recommended to study the information on the selected hotel at the tour operator’s website and at the hotel website, as well as on independent rating platforms and in specialized sources with travellers’ reviews. This will help the tourists form a comprehensive understanding of the quality and assortment of services in the preferred hotel.
II. Hotel accommodation
Beach bars, beach bars, open air bars and restaurants operate on a year-round basis.
Water parks operate all year round. During the winter season, there is no water heating in the water parks.
From November 15 to March 15 in the majority of hotels there is at least one heated outdoor pool. In some hotels, this service is offered only if the outside temperature drops below +23°C.
Air conditioning in hotels is available round-the-clock and on a year-round basis.
II. Hotel accommodation
When booking a travel product, tourists choose not only the hotel but also the room type (among the options available at the selected hotel). The popular accommodation options in a standard room include: SGL – single guest, DBL – two guests, and TRPL – three guests or 2 adult guests + 1 child. If a standard room with SGL or DBL accommodation options is booked, most hotels provide same standard rooms. A room which is designed for three guests (TRPL) can be (depending on the room capacity in a specific hotel) either a standard room with an extra bed which gets placed upon arrival or a larger room with the third bed which is part of the room’s basic configuration. In case of accommodating three guests (TRPL), an extra bed can be a normal bed, a sofa, or a European-style foldable bed.
When accommodating tourists with children up to 13 years old (2ADL+1CHD), the provision of an extra bed for the child is regulated by the hotel’s policy. In Egypt, there are three approaches towards providing an extra bed for children:
In case of booking the accommodation for two adult tourists and two children (2ADL+2CHD), it is necessary to additionally request information on whether extra beds can be provided to children in the selected hotel. Normally, such accommodation is possible in superior or family rooms.
Extra beds for children are defined by the hotel’s policy and can be a normal bed, a sofa, a European-style foldable bed, or a bunk bed.
In many hotels the rooms differ by their view or their location in a specific building on the hotel premises, for example:
II. Hotel accommodation
Upon the arrival at a hotel, the tourists are required to produce to the reception desk staff their hotel accommodation voucher. The provision of rooms of the booked categories is the responsibility of the hotels’ management. The opportunity of providing a room that meets the tourist’s requirements which are not included in the list of the declared features of the selected room type (such as floor number, distance from the sea/restaurant/elevator or twin beds) depends on the availability of free room capacity at the moment of the guests’ arrival at the hotel. The priority of providing a room which meets the tourists’ specific wishes is conditioned upon their reasonableness. For example, the priority of providing rooms located on lower floors in hotel buildings without elevators or with the minimal distance from the sea/restaurant/elevator is given to guests with limited mobility, elderly guests, and guests with children.
In case the tourists have complaints with regard to the quality of accommodation or hotel services, they are recommended to address the hotel guide.
Depending on a hotel’s policy, the provision of rooms takes place after 2:00 p.m. or after 3:00 p.m. The provision of rooms before the said time is up to the hotel management and depends on the availability of free room capacity. In order to be sure that the room will be provided before 3:00 p.m., the tourists shall book an additional day of staying at the hotel in advance.
The check-out takes place before 12:00 a.m. In case the guests return the keys with a delay, the hotel management may charge a penalty in the amount of the “late check-out” service price.
The opportunity of the room prolongation and the price of such a service can be checked at the hotel reception desk on the eve of the departure. In case free rooms are available at the hotel, and the hotel confirms such a service, the room can be prolonged up to 5:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m., depending on the hotel’s policy. Hotels do not guarantee the prolongation of the exact room where the guests were staying since the room in question can already be allocated for the accommodation of new guests. In such a case the hotel will provide another room. The only way of ensuring the room prolongation is by contacting the tour operator in advance with subsequent booking and paying an additional day of staying.
II. Hotel accommodation
The guest accommodation rates that are indicated in the agreement signed with the tour operator apply only to the citizens of the country in which this tour operator carries out its business activities. The price of accommodation of foreign citizens shall be requested by the tour operator at the DMC on an individual basis. In case the tour operator’s staff, the DMC’s staff or the hotel management reveal unreliable information on the tourist’s citizenship which was provided during the booking process, the price of accommodation for such tourist will be recalculated on the basis of the rate that apply for his or her country of citizenship, and the difference will be billed for payment in the booking documents or at the hotel reception desk, depending on the time when such an inconsistency was revealed. If the tourist refuses to pay the price difference, the accommodation will be denied, and the entire price of this tourist’s accommodation which was paid as part of the travel product will be withheld by the hotel management.
In case a room is booked for a citizen of the tour operator’s country of operation and a citizen of any other country who is going to travel to Egypt not from the tour operator’s country of operation, the price of accommodation shall be calculated on the basis of different rates.
The Egyptian laws prohibit accommodating in one room a foreign tourist and an Egyptian citizen of another sex unless they are officially married. At check-in, such couples will be required to produce their marriage certificate. In case the tourists are not officially married, they shall book two separate single rooms (SGL). However, if the hotel administration discovers that the two tourists actually live in the same room, the Egyptian citizen can be subject to early eviction.
As a rule, Egyptian hotels allow accommodating two male foreign citizens in one room, unless they are citizens of the countries that are members of the Arab League (Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, UAE, National Palestinian Autonomous Territories, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Tunisia, Yemen). The possibility of accommodating in one room two male tourists who are citizens of Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and some other countries shall be checked upon request.
In Egyptian hotels, other rates apply for the accommodation and service provision for guests from the countries that are members of the Arab League. Notwithstanding the country from which a citizen of an Arab League state has arrived, the price of his or her accommodation in a hotel shall be calculated at the tariff that applies to his or her country of citizenship.
According to the Egyptian laws, the hotels are prohibited from serving alcoholic beverages within the All Inclusive and Ultra All Inclusive meal concepts to guests who are citizens of the Arab League countries. For such guests the Soft All Inclusive meal option applies. During the holy month of Ramadan, in all Egyptian hotels it is prohibited to serve and sell alcoholic products to citizens of countries that are members of the Arab League.
When booking a tour for a traveller with impaired mobility, it is important to select a hotel that has specially equipped rooms and the necessary infrastructure (ramps, electric lifts, specially adapted bathrooms, wider doorways, etc.). Many hotels feature no rooms for guests with impaired mobility or have only few of such rooms. In the majority of hotels, it is not allowed to book the accommodation of a tourist with impaired mobility without an accompanying person. When booking a tour, it is necessary to inform the DMC on the tourist’s need of being provided with a room with non-standard features, for discussing the opportunity of comfortably accommodating the tourist with the hotel management.
II. Hotel accommodation
When booking a tour, tourists can choose between the meal options that are offered by the selected hotel:
BB (Bed&Breakfast) – breakfast only;
НВ (Half Board) – breakfast and dinner;
FB (Full Board) – breakfast, lunch, and dinner;
AI (All Inclusive);
UAI (Ultra All Inclusive) – non-alcoholic beverages and snacks are available 24/7, unless otherwise provided for by the hotel’s concept).
In many Egyptian hotels, All Inclusive and Ultra All Inclusive meal options imply serving local alcoholic beverages only. Imported drinks are served for an extra charge. In hotels of a higher price and service category, such as Rixos and some Sunrise hotels, imported alcoholic beverages are served with no extra charge.
The rules of the provision of tourists with clean drinking water are determined by the hotel concept. In Egyptian hotels, there are 4 main approaches to providing drinking water:
Running water is not intended for drinking. For drinking and teeth-brushing purposes, bottled water should be used.
The working hours of restaurants and bars, their menu, and the assortment of foods and beverages are determined at the discretion of the hotel management. Hotels can modify the range of available services and the terms of their provision before the start of a new season or even during the current season if such changes do not affect essential conditions of the tourists’ stay.
In the lower season, the assortment of foods and beverages at hotels can be less varied, which is reflected in the price of accommodation that is included in the travel product.
II. Hotel accommodation
Hotels assume no responsibility for tour operators’ flight programs, including the schedule, delays, put-offs, etc. This rule applies both to the day of arrival and day of departure. Hotels perform no hourly recalculation of the price of accommodation in case of late check-in or early check-out. The stay in a hotel room and the meals according to the selected meal program are available for tourists starting from 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. of the first paid day. On the day of departure all the services become unavailable at 12:00 a.m. (midday), unless otherwise provided for by the hotel’s concept.
In case the check-in takes place after the working hours of the hotel’s main restaurant, individual meals are not provided. In the presence of numerous late check-ins (but not in the night time), hotels can prolong the working hours of their main restaurants for such guests or offer small snacks at the lobby bar or in the rooms. This is the hotels’ right, not their obligation. Such a service is offered for group check-ins only, i.e. when large groups of guests arrive. The unavailability of such service cannot be deemed as grounds for filing a complaint. Hotels with AI or UAI meal options serve night meals in their snack bars.
In the majority of the Egyptian hotels, breakfast is served starting from 7:00 a.m. Therefore, depending on the selected hotel’s policy, tourists who go on an excursion or leave for the airport after 7:00 a.m. are sure to have breakfast at the hotel. If an airport transfer or an excursion implies an early leave (before 7:00 a.m.), tourists shall contact the hotel reception in advance and request the provision of lunch boxes on that day. Depending on the hotel’s price category, UAI meal option may imply round-the-clock meals. Requests for the provision of lunch boxes can be either accepted or rejected at the discretion of the hotel management and depend on whether the hotel’s concept includes such a service. The unavailability of the “lunch box” service cannot be deemed as grounds for filing a complaint.
II. Hotel accommodation
A particular feature of the All Inclusive and Ultra All Inclusive meal options in Egyptian hotels is the availability of local alcoholic beverages only (unless otherwise is provided for by a hotel’s policy). Rixos hotels and some Sunrise hotels are the exception.
In Egypt, alcoholic beverages are commercialized through specialized shops only which have a liquor license and are quite numerous in tourist areas. The assortment of alcoholic beverages depends on the shop’s scale.
During the holy month of Ramadan, liquors in hotels and in restaurants and bars outside the hotels which have a corresponding license are served to foreigners with no restrictions. However, the sale of alcoholic beverages in specialized shops is totally prohibited not only during the month of Ramadan but also on Fridays throughout the year (on these days, the shops that sell alcoholic products are open only in tourist areas and sell goods only to foreigners).
Egyptian laws strictly prohibit consuming alcoholic beverages outside the hotels and catering places. It is not allowed to drink purchased beverages in the streets and in public areas other than catering places that have a liquor license. Purchased alcoholic beverages can be consumed on the hotels’ premises, in hotel rooms or in restaurants that have a liquor license. Not all the restaurants in Egyptian resort areas have such a license, so you should check this with a restaurant’s management.
II. Hotel accommodation
Upon arrival at the hotel, the tourists shall consult the list of free and extra services. Additional services shall be paid on the eve of leaving the hotel, before the transfer arrival.
In case of losing a towel, a towel card or a room key or damaging the hotel’s property, the hotel management may require paying a penalty in the amount to be determined according to the hotel’s pricelist.
If the room’s basic configuration includes a mini bar, its contents are offered for an extra charge, unless otherwise provided for by the hotel’s policy.
In the majority of Egyptian hotels, Wi-Fi is available for free in the lobby and in other public areas. The signal quality can decrease if numerous users are present simultaneously in the same area. The speed of the Internet connection is not guaranteed and depends on the possibilities of the providers in the place where the hotel is located. In some hotels, tourists are offered a better Wi-Fi connection for an extra charge. High-end hotels invest more resources in providing a stable Internet connection than mid-priced and low-cost accommodation facilities.
When booking accommodation, it should be taken into consideration that the price of accommodation may include compulsory additional services, such as Christmas dinner, New Year dinner, water park visit, Neverland show visit in Pickalbatros hotels, and others.
II. Hotel accommodation
The price of accommodation in the following Pickalbatros hotels includes a compulsory additional service – one-time visit to the Neverland show.
Pickalbatros hotels located in Sharm el-Sheikh:
Pickalbatros hotels located in Hurghada:
In order to take advantage of the right to visit the Neverland show, tourists are required to contact the hotel’s reception on the eve of the planned day of visit for being included in the list of visitors. Visiting the show without prior approval of the date by the reception staff is not allowed.
In case of the tourists’ refusal to visit the show, or in case of their untimely registration, due to which the visit has become impossible, the hotel management does not refund the price of the unused service.
The venue of the Neverland show is within walking distance from the Pickalbatros hotels located in Sharm el-Sheikh. Hence, no transfer to the venue of the show is provided.
Tourists who stay at the above-listed Pickalbatros hotels in Hurghada are offered a transfer to the venue of the Neverland show. The rules for providing the transfer shall be checked at the hotel’s reception of your hotel.
Guests of Pickalbatros Water Valley – Neverland 4*, Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park – Neverland 4*, and Pickalbatros Alf Leila Wa Leila – Neverland 4* can also visit the Neverland show once during their stay with no extra charge by booking the visit at the hotel’s reception in advance.
II. Hotel accommodation
During their stay at the hotel, tourists shall comply with the generally accepted rules of conduct, not disturb other guests, not damage other people’s property, and treat the guests and the hotel’s staff respectfully.
In case the hotel management receives repeated complaints about the misbehaviour of a particular guest, and if no remedy is undertaken by such guest, the guest may be denied the serving of alcoholic beverages (if his or her misbehaviour and violation of the generally accepted norms of conduct were the result of excessive alcohol consumption), or an early eviction may be initiated. In such a case the hotel management shall send to the DMC, which represents the tourists’ legitimate interests in the country of their stay, an official notice signed by the General Manager with the detailed description of the circumstances under which it was decided to restrict the serving of alcoholic beverages or deny the accommodation. The notice shall be supported by evidence of the tourist’s violation of the rules of stay at the hotel, including the following: written substantiated complaints of other guests and / or videorecording of the tourist’s unacceptable or aggressive behaviour due to which the public order was broken, and the risk of causing damage to the health of the tourist in question, other tourists, their property, hotel staff, or hotel’s property emerged.
Upon receipt of the official notice from the hotel management with the enclosure of the above-mentioned evidence, the DMC’s staff shall contact the tourist and the hotel management and take all the necessary steps for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, or, if no peaceful settlement is possible, for helping the tourist move to another hotel.
The above-mentioned procedure does not apply in the presence of the tourist’s aggressive actions which entailed calling the police to prevent or detect harm caused to the health of other guests or the hotel staff, to other guests’ property or to the hotel’s property. In such a case no written complaints or videorecording are required; a copy of the police report on the arrival at the hotel will serve a sufficient proof.
Notwithstanding the reason of the tourist’s early eviction, the DMC shall provide assistance in finding and booking an alternative hotel. In case of early eviction due to the tourist’s fault, the hotel management withholds the entire price of accommodation which was paid during the booking process, with no regard to the number of nights that the tourist actually stayed at the hotel. All the expenses related to paying the accommodation at the alternative facility and arranging a transfer to such a facility shall be borne by the tourist. Neither the DMC nor the tour operator shall bear material responsibility for the tourist’s actions or inaction.
II. Hotel accommodation
The most common insect in Egypt that can cause discomfort to travellers is mosquitoes. In Egypt, mosquitoes are a persisting phenomenon that has no season nature. Hotels solve this problem by daily treatment of the premises and the rooms. The necessary repellents can be brought from home or bought in pharmacies or in hotel shops.
For preventive purposes, all the hotel buildings are regularly treated with special insect repellents. During the seasons of high activity of certain types of insects, additional treatment takes place. The frequency and intensity of additional treatment of hotels’ buildings and premises are determined not only by a pre-planned schedule but also by actual situation at a hotel. Hotels carry out regular disinfestations with the involvement of specialists who treat the open areas with cold smoke and spray chemical solutions which are safe for human beings.
Despite all these measures, the appearance of insects in hotel rooms remains possible, especially in the rooms that are located on lower floors of hotels with large green spaces along the perimeter. Besides, one of the reasons for insects appearing in hotel rooms is the guests’ neglecting the hotel rule according to which it is prohibited to bring food in the rooms. In particular, in a hot climate fruits that are left in a room or in a waste bin can attract ants, flies, and other insects. Hotels equip their premises and corridors of residential buildings with warning plates on the prohibition to store food in the hotel rooms.
II. Hotel accommodation
When choosing between the accommodation options, tourists should study the information on the beaches carefully. For example, Hurghada beaches boast a smooth entrance to the sea and absence of corals near the shore. A peculiar feature of the coastline in Nabq which is located in Sharm el-Sheikh is shallow waters. In some bays in Sharm el-Sheikh, there are corals in the sea which hinder the access to the sea for those without special protective footwear. However, even in these areas there are spots with a comfortable entrance to the sea. For tourists’ swimming in deep waters and enjoying snorkelling, many beaches in Sharm el-Sheikh are equipped with pontoons that can go into the sea for quite long distances. On such beaches, tourists swim and snorkel in deep waters.
When swimming, tourists shall exercise reasonable care. If you are not sure in your swimming skills, it is better not to swim near the reef wall or wear life jackets. Bathing after sunset or in a state of alcoholic or drug intoxication is strictly prohibited.
Another peculiar feature of Egypt is year-round presence of winds. Cool winds persist from early December to late February: this natural phenomenon is more typical for the Hurghada region and less so for the Sharm el-Sheikh region. From March to May, the dry Khamsin wind blows in Egypt, at which time the air temperature may reach +40 °C. One of Sharm el-Sheikh’s advantages is the presence of the Sinai Mountains that hold back the flows of wind and sand coming from the desert.
II. Hotel accommodation
Egyptian coastal waters are home to over 1,000 species of fish, some of which are dangerous (e.g., sharks). Like in all other places on the planet where large animals live, including those which present danger for human beings, tourists are recommended to be guided by common sense and not neglect personal safety advice. First of all, do not go for a swim alone and do not go far from the coast. Secondly, when seeing a large marine animal, do not study its species membership and try to return to the shore as soon as possible. Thirdly, avoid swimming in the sea early in the morning and late in the evening: at these times of the day reef sharks which live in shallow waters are especially active.
Dangerous inhabitants of the Red Sea include: stonefish, lionfish, moray eel, barracuda, stingray, and some others. Tourists are recommended to study images of these fish to be able to identify them in the sea and avoid contacting them. In order to prevent burns, allergic reactions or bites it is recommended not to touch passing fish and not to attempt extracting them from coral reefs. It is an unnecessary risk to touch starfish, sea sponges, and corals since a contact with them can cause a burn or lead to cuts on the skin.
When walking on the seabed, tourists are recommended to watch their step in order to avoid stepping on a sea urchin. Wearing protective footwear when swimming helps reducing the risk of damaging one’s feet when encountering a sea urchin but cannot exclude such a possibility. After a contact with a sea urchin a part of its spines can remain in the human skin and cause inflammation. It is recommended to contact the insurance company if such an event is included in the insurance coverage, to have your wound treated and examined for possible spine fragments.
Jellyfish appear in the coastal area of the Red Sea only from mid-March to early May.
A burn caused by a contact with most of the Red Sea’s inhabitants can be compared to that of nettles. If a person has no particular allergies, he or she will experience mild irritation in the burn area, which can be relieved by abundantly rinsing it with water and applying lime. In case of discomfort, tourists are recommended to call the beach lifeguards who may have a ready vinegar solution to treat the burns, the hotel staff or, in case of severe pain and inflammation, the insurance company for obtaining medical help.
In Egypt, it is strictly prohibited to damage and export corals, seashells, and other components of the Red Sea’s ecosystem. The violation of this prohibition leads to the imposition of a fine up to 1,000 US dollars.
It is strictly prohibited to bathe in the sea after sunset, as well as feed and touch fish and other marine inhabitants.
III. Safety in hotels
Documents, money, jewellery, and other valuable belongings shall be stored in safes located in the rooms or at the reception desk.
The hotel management assumes no responsibility for tourists’ documents, money, and valuables that were left unattended outside the safe.
III. Safety in hotels
In case of discovering a loss of valuable belongings tourists are recommended to contact the hotel guide or call the tourist assistance hotline phone number in Sharm el-Sheikh +20 112 976 87 84 and Hurghada +20 112 976 87 65 (calls/messages, WhatsApp, Telegram) for prompt coordination of their actions.
The hotel guide and other DMC’s staff provide necessary assistance in the course of the tourists’ communication with the hotel management and can also accompany the tourists when visiting a police office or help translate and fill in the documents. However, the DMC’s staff cannot provide consultations related to legal aspects nor represent the tourists in court. In such cases the tourists are required to use legal assistance services provided by specialized entities.
After filing a statement on the loss of valuable belongings to the police in a country of temporary stay, tourists are entitled to inform the consulate of their home country. The assistance or consultations of the consulate staff can be of use for the tourists for further interaction with local law enforcement authorities.
Tourists shall keep a copy of their statement to the police until the lost belongings are found or until the hotel management or the insurance company solve the issue related to the compensation payment (or until a substantiated refusal to pay compensation is received from the hotel management or the insurance company).
Only a tourist’s statement to the police can serve as grounds for carrying out an investigation. If the tourist decides not to appeal to the police, the hotel may conduct an internal investigation with no liabilities on its part. The decision on carrying out an internal investigaton is at the discretion of the hotel.
III. Safety in hotels
In the event of passport loss during the tour, the tourist shall find the official website of the consulate of his or her home country in Egypt. Such websites contain the information on the consulate’s address and the list of documents that are required for obtaining a temporary travel document which will serve to prove the tourist’s identity for the return flight. After consulting such information, the tourist shall inform the hotel guide on the passport loss. The DMC’s staff has considerable experience in supporting citizens from many countries in such situations and can provide a comprehensive consultation on the peculiar features of the document reissuing procedure in the consulate of the tourist’s home country. The DMC’s representative may accompany the tourist when visiting the police office for filing a statement.
The DMC provides assistance to the tourists in arranging a transfer for visiting the police office and/or the consulate. All the expenses related to the document reissuance and visits to the police office and the consulate shall be borne by the tourist. The consulates of most countries are located in Cairo, so the price of the transfer to Cairo shall be paid by the tourists.
Neither the DMC nor the tour operator shall bear material responsibility for the actions or inaction of the tourists or third parties.
III. Safety in hotels
Video surveillance in hotels serves for ensuring the security of the people, preventing incidents, protecting property or arranging entry and exit to and from the hotel buildings.
Video surveillance equipment is mandatory only in the entrance/exit areas and near the reception desk. The installation of video surveillance cameras in other areas is at the discretion of the hotel management.
According to the current regulations, videorecordings from the video surveillance cameras can be viewed by a limited number of persons: hotel administration and police officers. The DMC may request the permission to view the videorecordings but its acceptance or rejection is at the discretion of the above-mentioned persons. Hotel guests can get access to the videorecordings by court ruling only.
It should be noted that video surveillance cameras provide no full three-dimensional view and have blind spots. Therefore, even if video cameras are available in the place in which the tourists are interested, it cannot guarantee that these cameras have captured the required events.
IV. Important information for tourists who travel with children
The rates of children accommodation in hotels depend on their age group. The age range can vary in various hotels but, as a rule, the following groups exist: children aged 0 to 2 years, 2 to 6 years, and 6 to 12 years.
When determining the excursion service rates, two child age groups apply: 0 to 2 years and 2 to 12 years. The price of excursions for children above the age of 12 is equal to the price of the excursion service for adults.
In some Egyptian hotels there is a mandatory age limit for guests: adult-only hotels (18+), hotels for adults and teenagers above the age of 16 (16+), hotels for adults and teenagers above the age of 14 (14+). Booking and accommodation for families with children whose age is below the age limit indicated in the hotel’s concept is not allowed. In case inaccurate information on a child’s date of birth is discovered during the tourists’ check-in, the hotel will deny the accommodation.
Egyptian laws prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages to people below the age of 18. Therefore, at accommodation facilities and in public catering places alcoholic beverages are served only to people aged 18 or more. Additionally, to comply with the above-mentioned regulation, at check-in, minor and adult guests are given bracelets of different colours.
Besides, in hotels there are age limits for visiting fitness and SPA centres. Minimum visitor age is determined by the hotel management and in the majority of cases is 16 years (in some cases – 14 years). Age limits apply for security purposes.
The responsibility for the safety of children during the tour (including their presence near pools, on water slides, near the sea, on beaches, at amusements, in elevators and during transfers and excursions) is borne by their parents, guardians, or accompanying persons. For safety reasons, children are not allowed to move around vehicle while driving. If a minor stays in the water (the sea, pools, water parks), his or her accompanying persons shall ensure the safety of bathing and prevent the consumption of water that is not fir for drinking. When bathing, pre-schoolers and children of primary school age shall wear special swimming vests or armbands. Before using water slides and amusements, the adult who accompanies the minor shall study the safety rules and ensure that the child’s age complies with the age limit for the water slide or amusement in question.
During the whole tour parents shall exercise reasonable care and not let their children out of sight to prevent traumas and/or damage to other people’s property.
V. Excursion service
At information meetings, hotel guides offer information on the excursions that can be visited by tourists during their stay. The list of excursions with the indication of their duration and price is available in a leaflet that is distributed to each tourist.
Tourists are not recommended to purchase excursions or other services from third-party companies. The DMC does not engage in claiming compensations for the improper arrangement or cancellation of the excursions, unless they are purchased through hotel guides.
Before departing for an excursion, tourists are recommended to check the date and the name of the excursion, as well as the list of required belongings, and documents indicated in the excursion voucher. Tourists shall treat other group excursion members respectfully and show up for boarding the bus in due time (both at the beginning of excursions and at intermediate stops during excursion trips). In case the tourists are more than 15 minutes late (either for leaving the hotel to go on an excursion or for showing up at the meeting point in the course of an excursion program), the provider may leave the hotel or the meeting point without such tourists and with no subsequent compensation of the excursion price or of the transfer to return to the hotel.
During excursions, tourists are advised not to leave money and valuable belonging in the excursion bus unattended. Tourists shall exercise caution when in crowded areas and not keep large sums of money or valuable belongings in pockets where they can be easily accessed by third parties. At the beginning of an excursion program, guides inform tourists on the rules of conduct on the bus (for example, prohibition to move around the vehicle while driving or to leave waste on the bus). Tourists shall adhere to such rules of conduct.
If a tourist feels bad during an excursion, he or she shall inform the excursion guide who will further decide whether the tourist is able to proceed with the excursion. If necessary, the guide can provide assistance in arranging a transfer or calling a taxi to escort the tourist from the excursion place to a medical centre or to the hotel. The expenses for a transfer to a medical centre or to the hotel are borne by the tourist.
V. Excursion service
If tourists refuse to go to an excursion on the day of order an hour after the booking, 25% of the price will be withheld.
If tourists refuse to go to an excursion on any day but not less than 24 hours before the excursion start, 50% of the price will be withheld.
If tourists refuse to go to an excursion on the day when it is held or do not show up for the excursion, 100% of the price will be withheld.
This does not apply to excursions that include transportation by plane or ferry. In case tourists refuse to go to such excursions, 70% of their price is withheld notwithstanding the time of refusal (except for when the refusal takes place on the day of the excursion: in such cases 100% of the price will be withheld).
Not later than 24 hours before the excursion start, tourists can request postponing the excursion with no penalties (no part of the price will be withheld). This rule does not apply to excursions that include transportation by plane or ferry. Such a request can be accepted or rejected
by the DMC at its discretion and depends on the availability of such an excursion on the schedule before the end of the tourists’ vacation, and the availability of vacant places in the excursion group. In case of impossibility to approve the postponement of the excursion for another date or to offer another excursion, standard cancellation policy applies as described above.
A 100% refund of the paid excursion can be made on the basis of a medical certificate issued by a doctor in a medical institution not later than on the day of the excursion. In case of absence of a medical certificate, the price of the excursion is not subject to refund. This rule does not apply to excursions that include transportation by plane or ferry: 70% of their price will be withheld even in the presence of a medical certificate. Another exception is historical and individual excursions: even if a medical certificate is available, 50% of the price will be withheld.
Partial or full refund of the excursion price performed only for the person in whose name the medical certificate is issued. If a child and an accompanying person were supposed to go on the excursion, and if one of them has a medical certificate containing information on a contraindication for visiting the excursion, the price of the excursion will be refunded both for the child and for the accompanying adult.
Upon receipt of the refund amount, the tourists shall return the excursion voucher to the hotel guide and sign a paper which proves the receipt and the absence of any claims.
Partial or full withholding of the excursion price is due to actual expenses borne by the service provider in the course of its arrangement. Actual expenses include: arrangement of a transfer in accordance with the excursion route, meal arrangements, tickets to museums and archaeological parks, air flight or ferry to the place of the excursion, temporary stay at a hotel during the excursion, etc.
VI. Useful information
Prior to the start of the journey, tourists are recommended to study the rules for insuring the risk of medical expenses and select the optimal rate that corresponds to the intended vacation type. Depending on the insurance company or the insurance rate, it may or may not include the coverage of insured events which take place in a state of alcoholic or drug intoxication or in the course of engaging in active sports. Besides, various insurance companies may offer different insurance coverage and different deductible amounts.
The information on the ways of activating the medical insurance is provided to the tourists at an information meeting with the hotel guide.
Tourists are not recommended to seek medical assistance from doctors who work at hotels or get invited at the hotel’s initiative. All the services offered by such doctors are provided on a paid-for basis only and are not covered by insurance policies.
In case of health problems, the tourist shall contact the insurance company via email or by calling the phone number indicated in the insurance policy. There are three ways to call the insurance policy: using a SIM card issued in the home country and connected to roaming (the price of the call depends on the mobile provider’s rates), using a local SIM card (the price of the call depends on the mobile provider’s rates), and from the hotel’s reception (at the hotel’s rates). If the tourist experiences difficulties with contacting the insurance company, or if the tourist’s state does not allow him or her do so, the tourist may contact the hotel guide who will provide the necessary assistance.
The DMC’s staff assists tourists in contacting the insurance company but assume no responsibility for the completeness and quality of the provided medical services. The tourists’ treatment is performed by a medical institution defined by the insurance company. All further treatment-related communication takes place directly between the tourist and the insurance company.
In case health problems are experienced by tourists who have arrived at the airport and are awaiting the return flight, they shall assess their state and decide whether they will be able to visit the doctor upon arrival in the home country. If urgent medical assistance is needed, tourists can contact the insurance company to receive the treatment and solve the issues related to the provision of accommodation for the period of treatment and the return flight. In case of minor illness which cannot hinder the return flight, tourists can visit the medical office at the airport. Before obtaining medical services at the airport, tourists shall study their price since such amounts are to be paid by tourists themselves and will not be compensated by the insurance company.
VI. Useful information
The Egyptian pound is a very volatile currency with an unstable exchange rate, so the Central Bank of Egypt prohibits the reverse currency exchange. Tourists are recommended to exchange currencies for Egyptian pounds in small amounts since the reverse currency exchange into US dollars or euro is not possible. In Egypt, tourists can exchange US dollars or euro for Egyptian pounds at the airport, in ATMs that enable currency exchange, at exchange offices or in banks. The exchange rate in hotels is not convenient for travellers. Many shops accept cash payments in US dollars and credit cards. When paying with US dollars, the change is given in Egyptian pounds, so the travellers are recommended to go on vacation with small denomination bills ($1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50). If after the vacation is over tourists still have cash Egyptian pounds, it must be spent before the customs control since the export of the national currency from Egypt is prohibited.
We draw the tourists’ attention to the need to comply with the currency laws of the country of temporary stay. We ask the tourists not to use the services of illegal exchange offices and individuals who offer currency exchange at non-official rates. In case of illegal currency exchange, there is a risk of obtaining counterfeit banknotes, falling victim to fraudulent payments, or being detained by the police for the violation of the monetary laws. In the event of police detention, neither the DMC nor the tour operator can influence the prompt and successful resolution of such situations since this is the issue of the tourist’s personal responsibility for the compliance with the currency laws of Egypt. State officials hold no negotiations with third parties except for lawyers hired by the travellers for representing their interests and other official representatives of the embassy/consulate of the tourists’ country of citizenship.
Tourists are recommended to study current rules for currency import and export which apply during the period of the trip.
VI. Useful information
Currently there are four main mobile operators in Egypt: Orange, Etisalat Egypt, WE, and Vodafone Egypt.
Some mobile providers offer special tariff options for tourists. SIM cards with such tariff options expire in a month and are also unavailable for the locals. In order to buy a SIM card, a passport must be produced.
Examples of tourist tariff planes offered by Etisalat Egypt:
Examples of tourist tariff planes offered by Orange:
In Egypt, there is a communication tax equal to 6.1 Egyptian pounds » 0.2 US dollars. It gets levied when purchasing a SIM card or when a monthly payment is debited. Tourists are recommended to check the information on the communications tax before buying a SIM card.
VI. Useful information
The majority of people in Egypt are Muslim. However, foreign visitors are not required to follow a strict Islamic dress code or adhere to the rules of fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. Yet, tourists shall abstain from visiting non-tourist areas and religious places in open clothes, shorts, and tops.
We kindly ask tourists to treat both local residents and other tourists respectfully, not to make photographs of people without their permission, not to make photographs of military and police officials and checkpoints, and not to visit public areas in a state of alcoholic intoxication.
Tips as a form of gratitude are not obligatory and are given at the tourists’ discretion. When in the hotel, tourists can reward housekeeper maids, bartenders, waiters or bell boys for their good job. The tip size is usually 1-2 US dollars or more, as the guest deems most appropriate. The size of the tip to be left in a restaurant outside the hotel is determined by the guests. According to the unspoken rule, it should be around 10% of the bill amount.
When in public places, tourists shall exercise caution and not leave personal belongings unattended to avoid theft. When exiting the hotel’s premises, tourists are recommended to carry a photo or a copy of their passports, leaving valuable belongings and documents in an in-room safe.
Egyptian laws strictly prohibit the export of corals, seashells, stones, and antiques, which are any object that is more than 100 years old.
VI. Useful information
Export of medicines by tourists is allowed for personal use only. However, the maximum quantity is not established by law and remains at the discretion of customs control officials. Experience shows that usually not more than four types of medicines are allowed to be exported,
and not more than two packs of each type.
Customs control officials are entitled to require that tourists produce a doctor’s prescription for the medicines purchased in Egypt, if such medicines are prescription drugs. However, even if the doctor’s prescription is available, the customs control service may confiscate the medicines if they suspect their subsequent commercial use.
Neither the tour operator nor the DMC assume any responsibility for the actions of tourists, state officials or third parties, including the customs control service’s decision to confiscate tourists’ medicines.
