Trade Questions, Answered
Frequently Asked Questions.
License
Class A · Ministry of Tourism
ETAA
#718
IATA
#90255546
Operating
Cairo · Luxor · Aswan · Red Sea · Alexandria
Est.
1988
Getting started
- How do I start working with Discovery Tours Egypt?
- Send us your programme requirements — approximate dates, group size, and the services you need (transfers, touring, accommodation, or full ground handling). You'll get an acknowledgment within about four working hours and a tailored net-rate quotation within 24–48 hours for standard programmes. There's no minimum commitment for your first programme. Start at our Request net rates or contact page.
- Do you sell to the public as well as to the trade?
- Yes — like most destination management companies, Discovery Tours Egypt serves the travel trade (tour operators, agencies, OTAs, MICE planners, and cruise lines) and also sells directly to travellers. What we never do is take a programme designed around a specific partner's requirements, rates, or clients and resell that to the public. Your bespoke itinerary, your pricing, and your client relationship stay yours.
- Is there a minimum commitment or volume to work with you?
- No. There is no minimum on your first programme and no obligation to send volume before you're confident in the service. Most partnerships start with a single programme and grow from there — our average partner relationship runs about seven years.
- What information do you need to prepare a quotation?
- Approximate travel dates, number of passengers, the service type (transfers only, day tours, Nile cruise, accommodation, or full ground handling), and any specific requirements such as star rating, guide language, or accessibility needs. We'll propose options across budget levels.
Quotes, rates & margin
- How fast do you return a quote?
- Standard quotes return within 24 working hours (Cairo time, GMT+2). Complex multi-city or MICE programmes return within 48–72 hours with detailed costing. For partners with a booked-and-pending file, we accept urgent same-day requests by email plus WhatsApp to your account manager.
- Are your rates net or commissionable?
- All rates are transparent net rates. There are no shop commissions and no hidden fees. You add your own margin and decide your selling price — what you quote your client is exactly what we deliver on the ground.
- Can I request sample rates before sending a live booking?
- Yes. Use the Request net rates form to receive indicative net pricing, rooming-list templates, and itinerary proposals so you can build and price a programme before you commit a booking.
Operations & delivery
- Who is my point of contact?
- Each partner gets a dedicated senior account manager as a single point of contact, plus a backup colleague briefed on your account. Your account manager handles quotes, contracts, ops handovers, and escalations — there's no ticket queue and no random hand-offs.
- How does the handover from sales to on-the-ground operations work?
- Once a programme is confirmed, the file moves to a dedicated operations manager who builds the vouchers, briefs the guide and driver, confirms hotels, and runs a pre-arrival check 72 hours out. Your account manager stays informed and remains your single contact throughout. The full sequence is on our operating framework page.
- How fast do you respond during a live programme?
- Our 24/7 operations desk responds on WhatsApp within about 15 minutes for live programmes. Account managers monitor every active file daily and send proactive status notes — arrivals confirmed, hotels checked in, return legs flagged. We treat silence as a red flag and prevent it deliberately.
- What happens if a flight is delayed or there's an emergency?
- We track every arrival in real time and notify drivers automatically of delays, with a 24/7 airport coordination team. For medical situations we hold direct relationships with private hospitals in Cairo, Luxor, Hurghada, and Sharm El Sheikh, with English-speaking coordinators and embassy-contact protocols for serious incidents. See safety standards for detail.
Licensing, insurance & trust
- What licences and accreditations do you hold?
- Discovery Tours Egypt holds the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism Class A tourism licence — the highest tier — maintained continuously since 1988. We are member #718 of the Egyptian Travel Agents Association (ETAA) and hold IATA accreditation #90255546. Full detail is on our licenses & credentials page.
- How can I verify your credentials for my contract file?
- Class A status can be confirmed with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities (licence #718); ETAA membership via the member directory at etaa-egypt.org; and IATA accreditation #90255546 through IATA's agent locator. We also provide licence, insurance, and registration certificates directly to qualified partners on request.
- What insurance protects my clients?
- We carry professional indemnity insurance, third-party liability on every vehicle, and passenger accident cover on all transfers and excursions. Certificates of insurance are provided to operator partners on request for their contract files.
- How long have you been licensed and operating?
- Since 1988 — 38 years of continuous, licensed operation as of 2026, under the same name and ownership. Class A status, ETAA membership, and IATA accreditation have all been maintained without lapse.
Coverage & services
- Which regions of Egypt do you cover?
- Five operating regions, each run by our own ground team: Cairo & Giza (head office), Luxor (operations base since 2014), Aswan & Abu Simbel, the Red Sea (Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, El Gouna, plus Safaga and Sokhna ports), and Alexandria on the Mediterranean. See Destination Egypt.
- Do you handle Nile cruises and dahabiyas?
- Yes. We coordinate standard Nile cruisers, smaller dahabiyas, and Lake Nasser sailings, including embarkation timing, shore visits, and the rail or flight connections around them. See Nile cruise coordination.
- Can you issue domestic flights within Egypt?
- Yes. Our IATA accreditation (#90255546) lets us ticket domestic flights directly on EgyptAir and Air Cairo, so a Cairo–Luxor–Aswan–Hurghada itinerary moves as a single ticketed programme rather than separate bookings.
- Do you operate cruise shore excursions with guaranteed ship return?
- Yes. We run port-timed shore excursions from Safaga, Sokhna, and Alexandria built around the ship's all-aboard time, with a guaranteed-return commitment. See shore excursions.
- In which languages can you provide guides?
- Our standard operating languages are English and Arabic. Licensed Egyptologist guides are available in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Polish, and Japanese on request, confirmed before assignment.
Payment & terms
- What are your payment terms?
- All terms are negotiable and built around the partnership. As a guide, a standard programme runs on a 30% deposit with the balance due around 30 days before arrival; the deposit rises to 40–50% when international flights or train tickets are included, since those are ticketed up front. For Red Sea destinations with weekly or regular arrivals, we typically work on a 25% deposit with the balance due 14 days before arrival. Terms can also develop over time as we work together — tell us how you'd like to handle payment and we'll shape them to fit.
- Which payment methods do you accept?
- Wire transfer, credit card, and approved escrow arrangements. Pricing is transparent net pricing with no hidden fees or commissions. Full commercial terms are on our terms of business page.
Didn’t Find Your
Answer?
Send the specifics of your programme and we’ll come back with net rates and a straight answer — usually within 24 hours.