Luxor4u

The decision of the Ministry of Tourism regarding dealing with the tourist during their stay in Egypt or any tourist area in Egypt.

The decision stipulates that it is not allowed to accompany tourists on any trip or tour except through the companies that bring the tourists, which in turn are fully responsible for the tourist from his entry into the country until his exit from it.

The decision also stipulates that the sale and implementation of tourism programs and optional trips for tourists only through the company that brings tourists only.

This decision is considered one of the most important decisions taken at this time, with the beginning of the return of tourism, to reset and organize the process of rebuilding and preserving tourism and the safety of the tourist. It is an important decision and one of the most important decisions taken to preserve the state's national income from the tourism sector.
Source: Luxor is our home facebook group

If this is correct there will be no more of hiring a taxi from Hurghada to Luxor for example, maybe Go Bus might be out of the question too, it sounds like you have to book your tours/trips/travel through a licenced tour company.

Fake news perhaps...

I think it’s just the authorities clamping down on unlicensed tour operators....and quite right too. I can’t see that it would affect a licensed taxi who’d obtained the requisite clearance....as they do at present.

It might mean more scrutiny of your “Abdul” who’s taking you round Karnak or VoK!

It might be awkward for those wandering about with Egyptian friends.....but this has always been an issue in Luxor, as I’ve found to my cost on more than one occasion. You might have to provide evidence of a long standing friendship to prove they’re not some local on the make.

I love the above term 'Luxor is our home', I wonder how many of this Facebook group live there on a tourist visa and have no FULL insurance.

My reading of this is that the authorities in Egypt are returning to the old system of tourism as it was thirty years ago. I suspect most of the once international hotels in Luxor would now not come up to scratch with the proposed new requirements for the likes of Thomas Cooke (TUi) etc insurance.

During that early period personal insurance for independent travel would allow up to 31 days cover in Egypt, but not cheap. Living in Egypt with full insurance was expensive, even though I was quite young then and very healthy, and a main reason why I would not live there now, although just as healthy, but now older, and perhaps wiser.

So many of the old tourism rules in Egypt have been relaxed over the years, that I suspect most newcomers who see 'luxor as our home' have no idea of the rules and laws with regards tourists or those that see it as their home.

These such Facebook people should perhaps watch out for the continuing political changes that are being made in Egypt,......last week a new law was passed that any person who is a civil servant and is/was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood would lose their jobs,........tensions in the likes of Assuit are building.

A-Four wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 10:22 am I love the above term 'Luxor is our home', I wonder how many of this Facebook group live there on a tourist visa and have no FULL insurance.

I doubt the majority of them on 'Luxor is our home' group need it, they are Egyptians

DJKeefy wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 12:53 pm

A-Four wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 10:22 am I love the above term 'Luxor is our home', I wonder how many of this Facebook group live there on a tourist visa and have no FULL insurance.

I doubt the majority of them on 'Luxor is our home' group need it, they are Egyptians

Yes, I suppose you are right Keefy, but like myself you know how strict the rules were years ago, even small things regarding tourism on visiting sites away from Luxor, their driver had to get permission, not just for the tourist protection, but also to keep an eye on the expensive tourist vehicle license, plus tax on payment from tourist.

Strange it may sound, those white mini buses (13 seater) when new were licensed and registered for tourists only for seven years. During that whole period only the Egyptian driver could use it, no Egyptian was allowed to be carried in the vehicle not even their own family. Each vehicle had to be licensed through an approved Egyptian tourist agency, in other words the agency got the money and the driver/owner was paid after tax.

The new young Egyptians hoping to work in the tourism industry in Luxor and other places will need to learn the old rules that I'm sure even their fathers have forgotten,......perhaps their grandfathers will remember, which was when there was only four part-time taxis on the WB.

Well since most of the posts on there are written in Arabic Keefy. clever clogs A4 might not have cottoned on.

We used to travel all over the place in those white mini buses, all reasonably new and every trip contained at least 3 Egyptians on board. Had to go through many checkpoints, never had any problems when an officer stuck his head inside to check us all out. As you know, this is, as it was then, and will always be so, Egypt, rules are only followed when then the palm is not blessed by the customary full handshake.