Tourism sector workers in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh urged Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir to speed up procedures to re-operate the Hurghada-Sharm el-Sheikh maritime line, suspended for over a year.
The workers claim that operating the line would encourage tourist programs between South Sinai, the Red Sea, and Upper Egypt, and would take advantage of development in the port of Hurghada.
They called for re-operating the line to become a bridge linking the tourist areas of Sharm el-Sheikh, St. Catherine, Taba, Hurghada and Luxor, as the the line shortens the duration of trips by 90 minutes.
Officials of the Red Sea Ports Authority said in a press statement on Monday that a major Arab shipping company requested the line’s operation since several months in order to operate its ferry there.
This ferry is undergoing maritime inspection to ensure its safety to conduct trips on the Hurghada-Sharm el-Sheikh line, the officials added.
Tourism expert Islam Radwan said that re-operating the line between Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada shortens the distance between South Sinai and the Red Sea to less than two hours, which would further attract tourists to both Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada.
The maritime trip will facilitate the movement of tourists as well from Sharm el-Sheikh to Luxor and shorten the duration from six hours by land to an hour and a half by the ferry, Radwan told Al-Masry Al-Youm.
Radwan called on Wazir to speed up required procedures to re-operate the line.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
