The UK and Germany are continuing to advise holidaymakers to stay in Egypt’s designated ‘resort areas’ but also to ‘avoid’ the Sinai Peninsula.

 

 

The British Foreign Office is currently urging UK holidaymakers to stay within the confines of the main resort areas within Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada, although the German government’s travel advisory does not extend to Hurghada.

 

The main game changer in Egypt was the bombing earlier this month of a coach in which three South Korean tourists and the driver all died, while 14 others were injured close to Mount Sinai. The Korean government has since condemned the attack and the Sinai Peninsula has since been classified ‘a no go area’.

 

No organisation has since claimed responsibility, although attacks by militant groups have become far more regular since the Egyptian army ousted President Mohammed Morsi last July.

 

 

TENSION GROWS IN EGYPT

Egypt is a favourite tourism destination for both Russians and Germans and it is also very popular with British visitors, although the area around Sharm El Sheikh has now become a cause for concern, with several German tour operators arranging early home flights home for holidaymakers wishing to leave.

 

The Egyptian Tourism Ministry continues to claim that the country is safe and that militant warnings against tourists lack ‘credibility’, but this message appears to be unconvincing for some, with tourism revenues into the country already down by more than 40% last year to just under $6bn.

 

Holiday bookings in general are said to be around 40% down for this time of year, with none of this coming as particularly good news at the same time three Egyptian airports are tendering various duty free contracts, including Hurghada, Sham El Sheikh and Cairo.