Tourism in Egypt falters in uncertain political climate

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Tourism in Egypt falters in uncertain political climate

2011-04-20 By Waleed Abu al-Khair in Cairo

The citadel in Alexandria is normally a popular destination, but the number of tourists visiting the city has declined recently. [Al-Shorfa/Waleed Abu al-Khair]

Ongoing demonstrations and political instability continues to plague tourism in Egypt.

Despite political changes ushered by the end of the Mubarak regime, the volatile political situation coupled with continued sit-ins has hampered the tourism sector because tourists expect security and safety above anything else, Egyptian tourism officials and tour guides said.

The distribution of visitors has shifted substantially across Egypt.

Tours to Cairo and Alexandria are almost non-existent, according to Mahmoud al-Mohammad, a board member at the Chamber of Travel Agencies at the ministry of tourism.

"Tourist activity is not entirely absent, but it varies from region to region, and tourist groups prefer to visit Al-Ghardaqa, Safaga, Port Sokhna, and Sharm el-Sheikh," he said.

According to al-Mohammad, 47,119 tourists from various countries arrived at seaports and airports of the aforementioned sites while only 1,259 arrived at the Port of Alexandria in the second week of April, and almost none at Cairo Airport.

Al-Mohammad attributed the low figures in Cairo to ongoing tension in the downtown area and the repeated closure of the Egyptian Museum.

"It is not possible to attract tourists to Cairo when the Egyptian Museum and archaeological sites are closed whereas other areas attract beachgoers seeking rest and relaxation," he said.

According to the ministry of tourism, the losses in tourism revenue from February to April amount to $1.5 billion.

The Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics reported that February tourism revenue was down $440 million compared with February 2010. The statistics represent losses at five-star facilities only, not at all facilities, shops, and tourist agencies.

In coastal areas outside of Cairo, the situation is somewhat different.

Hosni Bassiouni, director of a hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh, said the decision to detain Mubarak and his sons and the launch of corruption investigations revived the region, which was suffering from the strain of demonstrations where protesters were demanding the Mubaraks' arrest and removal from Sharm el-Sheikh and the vicinity.

Bassiouni said large numbers of tour groups visited the beaches which revived hope for a revival of tourism to the area as the summer approaches.

"The constant tension in big cities like Cairo and Alexandria has kept archaeology tourists away. Only beachgoers come to Egypt now," he said. "Visitors from several countries have stayed away, and the majority of tourists are Eastern Europeans and the British, who love the Egyptian shores."

According to Bassiouni, Al-Ghardaqa benefited the most, primarily because its security situation is stable. Projections indicate that a rise in hotel occupancy to normal levels in Sharm el-Sheikh and the Red Sea may occur in early October when large numbers of Russian tourists visit Egypt.

He said average spending by tourists who visit for recreation only does not exceed 500 euros while tourists who plan to visit all Egyptian territories typically spend at least 2,000 euros during their stay.

Zahi Abdel Nour, a tour guide who works for a tourist agency in Cairo said, "The persistence of protests wasted all the efforts made by tour guides in the Cairo area, especially as the protests make headlines in the international press, which wipes out any promotion or positive news about tourism in Egypt."

Clashes that occurred in Tahrir Square earlier this month caused many tourists to cancel their stay in Egypt and return to their home countries or visit other tourist destinations, Abdel Nour said.

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READER COMMENTS

محمود محمد

2012-8-10

Tourism in the Arab Republic of Egypt is an important source of its national income, which occupies a very important situation on the worldwide level as a first-rate tourist destination, but tourism has been strongly affected recently, as a result of the many internal events that have changed the political reality of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Tourism in any country depends first on the security of the country, because any questionable country’s security and security force will cause huge harm to its tourism. Thus, the Arab Republic of Egypt, especially after the revolution of January 25th, which occurred at the hands of the brave Egyptian people and its youth, which greatly disturbed the security system, has lead to the loss of the balance of the security in the territory of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Therefore, many security breaches have occurred and major security operations have affected the performance of the Egyptian policemen, who in turn have negatively affected the tourism and the unemployment of many Egyptians.
حسين سلمان

2012-8-1

Tourism is the locomotive of development which is very important to raise the level of the state and the most important touristic countries in the world are France, Spain and Turkey, one of the key countries and for the Arab States, Lebanon, Syria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt is one of the most important touristic countries where tourism has provided high-income and provide many job opportunities in hotels, restaurants and villages and tourist guides are the most important elements of the economy of tourism which have been affected by terrorism and war in the region and bombings, but Egypt will continue to be major touristic state which attracts with its landmarks landscapes and the Egyptian revolution affected tourism and employees as a result of lack of security but with the leadership of wise President Mohammed Morsi the stability, security and safety returned to Egypt, tourism has become in Egypt in a good life for the world's faith in the wise leadership of Egypt and the Egyptian tourism after the revolution will advance because of the new young government, and the end of the era of corruption, injustice and tyranny and will return investments a second time to Egypt and will advance Egypt and the rebound of tourism in Egypt and evolve life, and the best of the Egyptian economy is expected to return Tourism once again the Egyptian economy is significant and important and will recover, the return of tourism helps in the locomotive of development and progress and prosperity after the end of the era of corruption, injustice and decay in the era of the corrupt Mubarak, who ruined Egypt and the Egyptian people and the return of tourism to the prosperity and progress and is leading the Egyptian economy to raise the national product and raise the level of social income.
حمودة

2012-7-18

Morsy must achieve the objectives of the revolution to all the Egyptians. The mission of Morsy will not be easy because he will face the regime of Mubarak which is still controlling the State. It is expected to resist the change mightily in its fierce battle with the regime of Mubarak. The President would need the support of all the Egyptians but he would not get it unless he fought for Egypt and not for the Muslim brotherhood. We demand from President Morsy the promise to always maintain the civil character of the State.
هشام

2012-1-3

What is imposed is a matter which proves the adherence to the instructions of the Islamic religion. It is a matter that pleases a lot of parents, because it contributes to preserving our sons and daughters. Who among us does not want his children to be in a safe position which is free of such influences, especially while most of the Egyptian people, from conservative, simple and poor families, want protection for their children. Therefore, such matters contribute to putting a limit on everything that is going on in terms of moral and social corruption and calls for heading towards the right path. This proves the behavior in a way which satisfies all the people. The Salafi leaders, who are outlawing alcohol and the wearing of the bikini on the Egyptian beaches, will limit the corruption phenomenon which is spreading in Egypt, and that has long caused a lot of problems and sexual assaults and also caused a lot of illegitimate pregnancies, as well as a lot of illegitimate children being born. All this will contribute step by step to putting a limit on all the moral corruption which is spreading among a lot of young boys and girls. Therefore, I agree with the suggestion that calls for the elimination of the reasons which led to the spread of corruption. This is what the Egyptian people were calling for during the former regime, which was allowing all kinds of corruption, from drinking alcohol to wearing the bikini, and these were the reasons why a lot of youth were heading toward moral corruption. This is the beginning of the way, and it will be extremely hard. Many of the people will consider it a kind of imposing control or repression of their freedom, and in fact this is personal freedom, but in reality this is an immoral matter and it should be limited from the beginning, so that many people could understand the new situation, which rejects corruption. All kinds of corruption will be eliminated. The country should head towards what is better. The Egyptian people should wake up from their sleep, which lasted for thirty years. They did not benefit from anything but corruption, and they had nothing but corruption.
مهند

2011-12-30

I do not deny this, despite the fact that we are all against the spread of alcoholic beverages in Egypt and against everything that harms the feelings of others. Egypt is a country which believes in the Islamic religion, but I am against imposing such decisions or proposals on the other tourists from the foreign countries, because it is their personal freedom. In addition, I do not think that it is in Egypt's interest to carry out such decisions by the Salafi Islamic movement, as the tourism in Egypt is inevitable, and we cannot do without it, because it is in the interest of the Egyptian people and the annual revenues it provides. This important sector must be maintained and we need to work on getting it out of the difficult conditions in the last period, so as to restore confidence to the foreign tourist.
kk

2011-8-1

You must stop if you truly love Egypt.