News
British travel industry joins forces to seek swift government decision regarding Sharm El Sheikh
More than 30 travel businesses representing hundreds of thousands of British travellers have attended a meeting with the all-party parliamentary group on Egypt in the House of Commons and House of Lords to explain the very negative impact that the current flight ban to Sharm El Sheikh is having on their businesses and to seek support for a swift government decision.
The travel businesses attending included airlines, tour operators, hoteliers and Nile cruise companies which have now joined forces to create the Travel Industry Egypt Advisory Group working with the Egyptian Tourist Office in London. Group members will meet regularly to build travel and government relations and include Monarch Group, Egyptair, Discover Egypt, Egyptian Experience, Fleetway Holidays, Sharm Direct, Holiday Designers, Scuba Travel, Orbital Travel, The Holiday Place, Travel Republic, Soliman Travel, Holiday Gems, Saga Holidays, Cyplon Holidays, Cox & Kings Travel, Oonas Divers, Expedia, Noble Caledonia, Kuoni/Voyages Jules Verne, Mosaic Holidays and Red Sea Holidays.
Members of the new Travel Industry Egypt Advisory Group told parliamentarians and Lords that the nearly year-long ban on flights to Sharm El Sheik is having a serious impact on their businesses. One operator said he was now selling as much in one year as he used to sell in a week to the destination. Others expressed frustration that British businesses are being penalised compared to the German and other European companies which are now able to fly back into Sharm el Sheikh. The delegation explained that Foreign and Commonwealth Advice has affected the entire country’s reputation because travellers are confused about whether they can travel to Egypt and where they can go. The meeting also highlighted that uncertainty of when the ban will be changed is causing concern because airlines have to plan their schedules at least four months before departure. If a decision on the flight ban is not taken in the next two weeks many airlines will miss the opportunity to return to Sharm el Sheikh for winter 2016/17.
Lord Stone welcomed the travel industry group and introduced the meeting by describing how representatives of the all-party parliamentary group had recently visited Sharm El Sheikh and found the resort to be both peaceful and welcoming. Lord Stone then confirmed he has written to the UK government requesting them to fix a date for the lifting of the ban.
Sir Gerald Howarth MP and chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Egypt also commented on the large contingent attending the meeting and said this was clearly a sign of the pressure facing the travel industry. He advised travel companies to speak up about the impact the ban was having on their businesses, to write to their local MPs and to communicate clearly what needs to be done. Sir Gerald Howarth told the UK group of travel companies that, during his three visits to Egypt this year he’d met representatives of the Department for Transport who had told him that they felt that the conditions had been met to enable flights to resume. Sir Gerald Howarth has written to Prime Minister Theresa May asking for a swift decision on the matter.
Lord Stone has asked the government what arrangements have been made to assess the impact of the ban on British travel businesses.
Prior to the meeting at the House of Lords, travel industry delegates attended a private briefing at the residence of H.E. Ambassador Nasser Kamel. He explained that Egypt has worked closely with British aviation security experts from the Department of Transport to implement a joint action plan to upgrade security in all Egypt airports. The leading British security firm Control Risks has assessed security measures and made recommendations which have been fully implemented by the Egyptian government. Leading security firms have been appointed to deliver an aviation security programme which includes recruiting and training up to 7000 staff at airports across Egypt. These firms are also advising Egypt’s leading private security firm, Falcon Group International, who have been tasked by the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation to provide long-term, sustainable, high-level security at all Egyptian airports. In addition the Egyptian government has independently allocated USD $26 million to enhance and improve airport security. H.E. Ambassador Kamel said: “The safety and security of our citizens and visitors is paramount”.
Mr Khaled Fouda, Governor of South Sinai who welcome the parliamentary group and showed them all the upgrades and facilities in Sharm El Sheikh airport advised: “we believe we have done everything possible and more to deliver world class and secure airports. While Germany has taken a decision to resume flights on the basis of that work, the British government still hasn’t. We have to ask the British government to be clear and let us know if more needs to be done, or to lift the ban in line with the rest of Europe.”
Mr Samir Takla, advisor to the all-party parliamentary group on Egypt said: “We appreciate the input of the British travel industry in this discussion. It is clear that it is now time for there to be a swift decision from the British government for the commencement of the flights.”
Rasha Azaizi, Director of the Egyptian State Tourist Office in London, said: “This long term ban on flights to Sharm El Sheikh is now affecting many UK travel businesses as well as airlines and is causing deep consumer confusion. The Foreign and Commonwealth advice is currently that it is safe to visit Sharm El Sheikh but not to go through the airport. That’s given people the impression that they can’t visit Egypt when in fact British Airways, Easyjet, Thomas Cook, Thomson and Egyptair are all already operating direct flights to other airports in Egypt. For example a new direct flight from Heathrow to Luxor was launched just earlier this month. No other country apart from Russia still has a flight ban on flights to Sharm El Sheikh, but the UK government has still not yet made a decision. We have been led to understand that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department of Transport are all now happy with the measures put in place following stringent security reviews. We truly feel it’s time for the British government to make a decision before the crucial winter holiday season.”
The Travel Industry Egypt Advisory Group will be holding regular meetings to discuss how the industry can work cooperatively together to present their case to parliament and to share insight and guidance on supporting the recovery of tourism to Egypt.
Which airlines are currently flying to Egypt from the UK?
Airlines flying from the UK to Egypt as at 3 October 2016 include Egyptair, British Airways (Heathrow to Cairo), Easyjet (Gatwick to Hurgarda) Thomson (Gatwick to Marsa Alam and Manchester to Hurgarda) Thomas Cook Airlines (Gatwick and Manchester to Hurgarda). Egyptair launched a weekly direct flight between Heathrow and Luxor on Monday 3rd October 2016.
What is the current FCO Advice about travel to Egypt?
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice about travel to Egypt is that: “The tourist areas along the Nile river (including Luxor, Qina, Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings) and the Red Sea resorts of Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada aren’t included in the areas to which the FCO advise against all but essential travel.” www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt
Other countries have lifted a ban on flights
The German government lifted its ban earlier this year and direct flights between Germany and Sharm El Sheikh resumed this autumn. In September 2016 Turkish Airlines recommenced flights from Istanbul Atatrk airport to Sharm El Sheikh airport after an 11-month suspension. In addition, 11 fights from Italy to Sharm El Sheikh are scheduled to take place in October. This is in addition to the flights from other European and GCC countries.
How many British travellers are affected?
870,000 British travellers visited Egypt in 2015. Visitors in 2016 are down by more than 70%.
The peak of UK travellers to Egypt was in 2010 with more than 1.5 million UK visitors.
What is the All Party Parliamentary Group on Egypt?
The purpose of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Egypt is to strengthen relations between British and Egyptian parliamentarians and promote British-Egyptian relations among both chambers of the UK Parliament. The APPG consists of forty seven MPs and Peers.
The meeting with the British travel industry was held on Wednesday 19th October 2016.
What is the Travel Industry Egypt Advisory Group?
The Travel Industry Egypt Advisory Group is made up of tour operators, airlines, travel agents and short and long Nile cruise companies who are working together to communicate travel industry views to government, to support any requirement for safety and security for British travellers and to support the recovery of tourism to Egypt.
To find out more about diving in the Red Sea, visit www.gotoegypt.org.
Welcome to Day 5 of Scubaverse.com’s week-long Christmas Gift Guide!
Struggling to find the perfect gift for that special scuba diver in your life? Read on for Team Scubaverse’s pick of this season’s must-have Christmas gifts.
Every day this week, we are publishing a special Christmas Gift Guide full of different gift ideas that are all ideal for divers, so you’re sure to find something that’s perfect. Take a look at today’s selection below…
SlipIns DiveSkins
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DiveSkins are perfect for scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, paddling, surfing, and all water sports. It shows up beautifully in pictures under water.
This tight-fitting, tailored lycra suit offers maximum comfort. stretchy, breathable, fast-drying fabric with the world’s best sun and stinger protection.
SlipIns are:
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Save 10% on your order if you mention you saw this ad in Scubaverse in your order note!
SAVE YOUR SKIN…WEAR OUR SKINS
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Diving Books from Miflex Hoses
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We stock a great range of Diving & Underground book titles, ideal to add to any order or simply buy as a gift for a friend.
Titles we have include:
Shipwrecks of the Dover Straits, Adventures Underground, Pioneers Beneath the Peak, Dive Truk Lagoon, Underwater Potholer, Images Below & many more.
From Authors including:
Stefan Panis, Martyn Farr, Duncan Price, Ron Young, Rod Macdonald, Chris Howes
Visit our website for more details.
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OrcaTorch D710 Dive Light – now available in pink!
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Already available in Black, Green, Red and Blue, the D710 Dive Light from Orcatorch is now available in Pink too.
Whether you’re a recreational or a professional diver, you’ll find the OrcaTorch D710 dive light useful in your underwater activities.
With max 3,000 lumens, the D710 is one of the strongest torches in its class. You also have plenty of brightness settings to choose from if you prefer less power.
It runs on one OrcaTorch 21700 5000mAh rechargeable battery with a Type-C charging port, easier for you to charge it anywhere. Now it offers five exterior colour options: Black, Green, Red, Blue, and Pink, to satisfy your diverse needs.
Featuring:
* Uses Luminous LED, max 3000 lumens
* Uses 1 * 21700 Li-ion battery
* 6° beam angle
* Offers four exterior colour options: Black, Red, Green and Blue
* Easy operation with side titanium alloy push-button switch
* Safe lock function, prevents mis-operation
* Intelligent Over-Heat protection
* Battery indicator
* Water pressure resistant construction, depth rated to 150 meters
* Reverse polarity protection, to protect from improper battery installation
* Over-discharge protection function
* Constructed from high-strength A6061-T6 aluminum
* Mil-Spec Type III hard anodized finish for durability and corrosion resistance
* Two sides coated toughened glass with high water pressure resistance under deep water
Sea & Sea is the home of OrcaTorch and other leading diving brands in the UK.
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Scubapro Luna 2 AI Dive Computer
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SCUBAPRO, the world’s premier manufacturer of high-quality scuba diving equipment, introduces its second generation Luna 2.0, an easy-to-read, intuitive dive computer loaded with easy-to-use features and available in two versions, the Luna 2.0 and Luna 2.0 AI with wireless air integration.
Designed for new and casual recreational divers, the low-profile Luna 2.0 sits comfortably on the wrist. Its oil-filled plastic housing helps ensure reliable performance to depths of 120 meters. A large widescreen display features a high-contrast black and white matrix-segment LCD with full-sized characters for easy reading in all dive conditions. An intuitive menu and simple two-button interface lets the diver navigate the system with ease, aided by clearly marked screen prompts. The LUNA 2.0 offers two algorithms – Predictive Multi-Gas Bühlmann ZH-L16 ADT MB PMG or ZH-L16 + GF PURE, plus 21-50% nitrox compatibility and three selectable gasses for open circuit diving. Three dive modes are available – Scuba, Apnea and Gauge – to suit a range of diving activities.
The Luna 2.0 AI (air integrated) offers the same easy-to-use features and functions as the standard Luna 2.0 plus adds wireless air integration. This not only enables to easily monitor ythe tank pressure, it also provides true remaining bottom time (RBT) and allows the air consumption to be factored into the decompression calculation. Also available with the Luna 2.0 AI is an optional integrated heart rate monitor that lets visually track the heart rate and skin temperature to help staying in the personal target zone.
Both Luna 2.0 models include personalized dive management functions like PDIS (Profile Dependent Intermediate Stops) which calculates an intermediate stop based on N2 loading, current and previous dives and breathing mixes, and Microbubble levels that give the option to adjust the level of conservatism in the algorithm to match the individual experience level, age and physical conditioning for a more enjoyable dive.
The soft silicone arm strap offers a comfortable fit on the wrist, plus bungee mounts on the corners of the housing allow for alternate attachment methods. A Bluetooth Low Energy interface enables the download of the dive data to any iOS or Android device or PC/Mac (firmware can be user-updated), and the CR2450 battery is rated for up to two years or 300 dives.
Scubapro Europe Website / Scubapro USA Website / Scubapro on Facebook / Scubapro on Instagram / Scubapro on YouTube
35% off Red Sea Liveaboard Scuba Scene in Spring 2025
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Embark on the ultimate diving adventure aboard the Scuba Scene, the luxury liveaboard offering an unforgettable Red Sea experience. Known for its exceptional service, safety, comfort, and world-class dive sites, Scuba Scene is the ideal choice for divers of all levels.
Dive into crystal-clear waters teeming with vibrant coral reefs, exotic marine life, and awe-inspiring shipwrecks. From the stunning Ras Mohammed National Park to the famous Thistlegorm wreck, Scuba Scene brings you to the heart of the Red Sea’s best sites. With spacious cabins, gourmet dining, and a dedicated crew that ensures every detail is perfect, this liveaboard guarantees relaxation and adventure in equal measure.
Now is the perfect time to book! Save a massive 35% on any sailing between 3rd March and 28th April 2025. Whether you’re a seasoned diver or taking your first plunge, Scuba Scene promises an experience you’ll cherish forever.
Don’t miss this chance to dive the Red Sea in style and at an incredible price. Book your adventure today!
Tel: 0800 699 0243
info@oysterdiving.com / www.oysterdiving.com / Oyster Diving Facebook / Oyster Diving Instagram
Welcome to Day 4 of Scubaverse.com’s week-long Christmas Gift Guide!
Struggling to find the perfect gift for that special scuba diver in your life? Read on for Team Scubaverse’s pick of this season’s must-have Christmas gifts.
Every day this week, we are publishing a special Christmas Gift Guide full of different gift ideas that are all ideal for divers, so you’re sure to find something that’s perfect. Take a look at today’s selection below…
Thalassas Ocean-Inspired Apparel
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Dive into comfort and style with Thalassas! Featuring T-shirts, hats, leggings and more, each piece is designed to bring the tranquillity and beauty of the sea to your everyday life. Whether you’re lounging by the coast or exploring city streets, our gear has you covered.
Your purchase has a purpose! A portion of every sale supports beach cleanup initiatives and organizations.
HOLIDAY BUNDLE PRICING STARTS NOVEMBER 18th!
This holiday season, we’re offering bundle discounts on our best-selling tees, hats, and leggings! Mix and match to create your perfect set – and enjoy savings when you buy more. It’s the perfect time to stock up on ocean vibes for yourself or the diver in your life.
🌊 Holiday Bundle Discounts: Save More When You Buy More! 🌊
Don’t miss out, these deals won’t last long! FREE SHIPPING on all orders in the USA.
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XDEEP Navy Signature Hoodie
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The long-awaited XDEEP Signature hoodie is finally available! Apart from being super-trendy, it’s also quality stuff: made in EU of 100% premium cotton with solid japan-made YKK metal zippers.
The main features of this stylish hoodie are the following:
– 100% cotton
– Strong metal zipper
– High-quality print
– Made in EU
Furthermore, all XDEEP hoodies and t-shirts (including fabric) are manufactured in EU using top quality 100% cotton.
The XDEEP Signature Hoodie is perfect for keeping warm and looking trendy at the same time.
To find out more about XDEEP products, visit www.xdeep.eu.
Nautilus are the distributor for XDEEP and other leading dive equipment brands in the UK. Find out more about Nautilus brands at nautilus.uk/our-brands.
info@nautilus.uk / Buy in the UK / www.xdeep.eu / XDEEP on Facebook
Oceanarium Regulator Bags & Octo Holders
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Oceanarium products offer great gifts for all lovers of life underwater, including unique designs of regulator bags, octopus holders, gear tags & cloak towels.
This range brings fun & enjoyment to your dive making your kit distinctive.
Check out the very popular regulator bags available in 6 designs, including the Oceanarium Whaleshark design, as well as the two new designs of Octopus Holders; Pygmy Seahorse & Jellyfish.
Buy a Christmas gift for a friend and make them smile… Diving is Fun!
sales@miflexhoses.co.uk / www.miflexhoseshop.co.uk / miflexhoseshop.co.uk/acatalog/Oceanarium.html / Miflex Hoses on Facebook
Fourth Element Pelagic Dive Watch
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The Pelagic dive watch from fourth element combines British design with Swiss-craftmanship in a hand-built automatic watch which captures the essence of classic scuba-diving timepieces.
Named after the vast reaches of the open ocean, the Pelagic combines exceptional craftmanship with high-specification engineering. Designed in the UK and hand-built in Switzerland, it is rated to a depth of 500m. The Pelagic features a stunning automatic movement, seen through the sapphire crystal glass case back, powered by a Swiss made precision self-winding movement. This is a watch suitable for the most extreme environments on Planet Earth.
The Pelagic has a brushed stainless-steel case with the choice of 22mm silicone/rubber strap or stainless-steel bracelet. It features a helium escape valve, positioned at 9 o’clock ensuring that this watch is even equipped for saturation diving. The watch features a unidirectional black ceramic bezel, allowing maximum dive times to be planned, luminous hands and markers and date function.
Design detailing includes ‘fourth element’ engraved on the rotor, buckle (on the silicon/rubber strap version) or clasp (on the brushed stainless-steel version). The crown features the fourth element icon representing the four elements earth, air fire and water.
The Pelagic watch is packaged using only recycled materials (recycled PET) and FSC certified paper and card, demonstrating fourth element’s continued commitment to its OceanPositive mission.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
– Movement: 26 Jewel Swiss Sellita SW200 automatic with hacking function
– Water resistance: 500m / 1640ft
– Helium escape valve: 9 o’clock
– Crown: screw down locking
– Case width: 44mm
– Case thickness: 14mm
– Shatter and scratch resistant sapphire crystal
– Lug to lug: 52mm
– Case material: 316l brushed stainless steel
– Bezel: 120-click unidirectional with black ceramic insert
– Swiss Super-LumiNova C3 on markers and hands
– Strap: 22mm silicone/rubber strap or brushed stainless steel bracelet
– Warranty: 2 years
– Swiss made
RRP: GBP £1475 / USD $1975 / EUR €1795 / AUD $2950 / CAD $2595
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Nautilus Seascape Mask & Clamshell Case
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The Nautilus Seascape single lens mask builds on the experience of proven design with the latest technology.
The ultra soft liquid silicone skirt and strap ensure this frameless mask gives the best fit whilst ensuring a wide 120 degree field of vision.
The antislip buckles means the strap stays where set it and the ultra clear, high vision tempered glass means virtually all light passes through to your eyes.
A substantial nose pocket means that equalising is a joy and that, combined with comfort, makes this the ideal mask for most divers.
To find your nearest Nautilus dealer, click here.
info@nautilus.uk / nautilus.uk / Seascape Mask on nautilus.uk / Nautilus on Facebook
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