Minister of Manpower Mohamed Saafan announced that his ministry’s Emergency Benefits Fund is completing the disbursement of over EGP 163m in emergency aid to 153,898 tourism sector workers.

The workers are located at 1,380 tourism establishments that have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The aid represents 100% of their basic wage, which is the limit under the employer’s insurance, and which has been fixed under that policy at a minimum of EGP 600.

Saafan said the support is in line with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s directives to disburse salaries to regular workers in the tourism sector who have been affected by the global pandemic.

He added that 3,800 facilities have so far applied for the subsidy to be given to workers affected by the pandemic. Saafan noted that a further 1,420 tourist establishments are completing their data to receive the subsidies.

He stressed that special rules for the tourism sector were established in agreement between the Ministries of Manpower, Tourism, and Planning during their last meeting to aid that sector.