Egypt Today (Part 3): Can Egypt Rebuild its Tourist Industry?

Despite going to Egypt on the premise of research I was, in reality, another tourist coming to marvel at the many treasures that Egypt has to offer. With the dust of the 2011 Revolution starting to settle Egypt is now looking to move back in a leading position within international tourism. The reputation of the country was hit heavily by the events of the past years, with many tourists seeing Egypt as neither a safe nor secure country to visit and those within the industry are keen to move both Egypt and its tourist industry forwards.

Egypt is certainly not a country without tourist attractions and for the Egyptian government it is the security of the region, rather than promoting the sites, that will be key to moving forward in the future; the Pyramids, Egyptian Museum, Salah ah-Din Citabel and many mosques are among the many sites that are crammed into Cairo.

(Above: The Egyptian Museum, a key tourist attraction in Downtown Cairo)

First on everyone’s list of things to see upon landing in the country are the Pyramids and their justification for doing so is well substantiated. Being amongst the oldest structures in the world they dominate the landscape in Giza (a city that makes up part of the Greater Cairo Metropolis) and prove an irresistible draw for tourists from all over the world.  As I walked, drove and rode a camel  around these ancient monuments I couldn’t help but be stunned by the scale and history of the buildings, which appear to dwarf anything that Cairo has produced subsequently, and by the fact that the number of tourists appeared to be far smaller compared to my perception, allowing me unparalleled access to these Wonders of the World.

I questioned my guide for the day on the apparently low numbers of tourists. He said that since the Revolution they had seen a dramatic drop in the number of people prepared to visit Egypt, and in particular Cairo, for travel. He believed that the biggest problem was security and the view of Westerners that holidaying in Cairo would involve the risk of getting caught up in the politics of the country. This problem was justifiably the biggest concern for those involved in tourism as toward the end of my trip there I myself got caught up in the political fervor in the streets of downtown Cairo. The ramifications of the newest set of protests are as yet unknown but with the American embassy being the target and anti-Western sentiment running high, it is unlikely that Egypt will avoid a further drop in tourist numbers.

(Above: The Mosque of Mohamed el-Nasir with the Mohamed Ali Mosque in the Background)

For those employed in the tourist industry they say they have two tasks to fulfill to bolster the industry and recapture the vast tourist numbers that once typified society in Cairo. Firstly to ensure security for tourists and secondly to provide exemplary service to improve the overall experience in Egypt. My tour guide expected the winter season 2012/2013 to see an increase in tourist numbers as memories of the Revolution fade and the draw of winter sun grows.

Egypt could indeed see numbers go up. Sharm el-Sheikh, the Red Sea resort, has seen consistent numbers of tourists, with travelers seeing this resort as removed from the political change that swallowed up the capital and the Egyptian Tourist Board is keen to emphasize the heritage of Ancient Egypt, promoting locations such as Abu Simbel, Luxor and of course the Pyramids, in an attempt to draw focus onto the rich culture of the country and away from the politics.

However the country faces an uphill stuggle. Despite being a nation with an unparalleled heritage, spanning from the Ancient Egyptians, into the Coptic Era and through over 1200 years of Arab history, the current security threats could prove very damaging to the Egyptian tourist industry. Simply put if the tourists arriving in Egypt cannot feel secure then they are not going to be prepared to travel to the country. However if these concerns can be successfully challenged tourists will find a welcoming country that provides both a wonderful experience and a fascinating heritage.

By Peter Banham

See Also:

Egypt Today (Part 1): Security in a New Era of Democracy

Egypt Today (Part 2): The Problems for Minorities in New Islamic Politics