Egypt’s Ministry of Social Solidarity will begin disbursing exceptional aid, on Tuesday, to over 12,000 tour guides nationwide, to mitigate the repercussions of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The EGP 500 grant, which will be given to each tour guide for a period of four months, will be disbursed in two batches from post offices, the ministry said in a press statement.
The disbursal comes as part of support for the families of tour guides, and to alleviate the repercussions of the global pandemic. Egypt’s already long-suffering tourism sector has all but ground to a halt over the past four months, since the government suspended international travel to all airports nationwide, among other precautionary measures.
Latest statistics on the tourism sector’s performance show a gradual recovery, particularly since inbound tourism to some airports in Egypt resumed on 1 July.
A total of 12,424 tourist guides who have not benefited from the government initiative supporting informal workers, but who have registered on the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities’ databases, will be able to access the grant facilities.
The disbursement will start on Tuesday 8 September, at a rate of EGP 1,000, or equivalent to two months of the value of the support decided for each beneficiary.
It will take place through Egypt’s post office network, in coordination with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and with the National Post Authority.
This cooperation will facilitate disbursement operations and ensure that there is no overcrowding, given that the exchange coincides with the timing of pension disbursements from post offices, according to the Ministry of Social Solidarity.
The ministry has provided a service for inquiring about the support, using the national number, through its website at www.moss.gov.eg
