TUI Colourful Cultures Egypt

The Maaza Bedouin tribe is a key pillar of Hurghada’s cultural heritage, maintaining a rich tradition of storytelling, music, crafts and nomadic practices. However, the rapid expansion of mass tourism has displaced these traditions, reducing the tribe's visibility and relevance within the local tourism economy.

Traditional Bedouin performances and handicrafts are often replaced by mass-produced or imported alternatives, leaving the cultural legacy of the Maaza tribe at risk. Without targeted intervention, there is a real danger that these cultural assets, which have been passed down through generations, will be lost.

TUI Colourful Cultures Egypt addresses this challenge by creating the Maaza Colourful Cultures Hub, a community-driven facility provides a space to train artisans, promote Bedouin culture and create revenue streams for the Maaza tribe through retail sales. Members of the Maaza tribe are trained to professionalise their traditional skills and are provided with a platform to link their handicrafts with the tourism value chain. The programme also creates additional income opportunities by introducing immersive tour products that connect holidaymakers with the local community.

The city of Hurghada generates millions of dollars annually from its developed tourism sector, which is spread across over 1.000 hotels. However, the local and indigenous Bedouin communities, including the Maaza tribe, see minimal economic benefits. In Egypt, rural poverty affects 32.5% of the population, with Bedouin communities disproportionately impacted due to geographic isolation and limited economic opportunities. Women and young people in these tribes are particularly marginalised. Nationally, women’s labour force participation stands at 18.3%, but this figure is even lower among Bedouin women due to cultural and systemic barriers. Tourism-related employment in Hurghada is dominated by non-local workers, leaving the Maaza tribe reliant on low-income activities such as subsistence farming, which fails to leverage the region’s tourism potential.

TUI Colourful Cultures Egypt sets up the first hub dedicated to the traditions and craftmanship of the Maaza tribe. The Maaza Colourful Culture Hub hosts training in traditional crafts like weaving and palm leaf products to 100 people from the tribe.

The hub is also a space to preserve the Maaza’s intangible heritage such as music, storytelling and history, which are shared with visitors through cultural events. A flagship annual event, the Maaza Cultural Festival, showcases Bedouin heritage through workshops, live demonstrations, cultural performances, and stargazing sessions. Designed as a full-day event, it attracts over 500 attendees annually, fostering partnerships and promote sustainable tourism.

In addition to these cultural events, revenue streams from the space which benefit the tribe include handicraft sales and hospitality services. A community-based cooperative, set up and trained through the project, ensures the management, branding, sales and distribution of Maaza crafts.

TUI Colourful Cultures also integrates Bedouin culture into Hurghada’s tourism offering by creating immersive experiences that involve holidaymakers with the Maaza community. Tourists can opt to participate in hands-on cultural activities like Bedouin breadmaking, henna art and coffee ceremonies or go on a guided tour linking several Bedouin villages, featuring live performances, storytelling, and culinary experiences.

Project Partner

Green Planet is a pioneering impact investment and consultancy firm focused on sustainable tourism and community development. Based in Egypt, the organisation works to integrate cultural preservation, environmental conservation, and economic empowerment into tourism projects, creating models that promote inclusivity and sustainability. Green Planet serves as a bridge between local communities, tourism stakeholders, and international organisations, fostering collaboration to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). With a strong foundation in innovative project design, Green Planet emphasises community engagement, particularly with marginalised groups like women and youth, to ensure equitable access to economic opportunities. By blending cultural heritage with sustainable practices, the organisation creates transformative tourism experiences that benefit both the environment and local communities.

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