EGYPT: Tourism Still Very Low

A year after jihadists bombed a Russian plane carrying holidaymakers in Egypt, tourism shows little sign of recovery in the Arab country grappling with an economic crisis.

In Khan Al Khalili, a historic bazaar in Cairo once full of tourists, a clothing store owner says he now spends his days surfing Facebook.

“I don’t have anything else to do,” said Amgad Qasabgi, 45, in front of his shop, a sequinned two-piece belly dancing outfit dangling over his head.

The October 31, 2015 bombing of the plane claimed by Daesh killed all 224 people on board after take-off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm Al Shaikh.

Russia reacted by cancelling all flights to Egypt, with Britain cancelling flights to the resort town itself, decimating a tourism sector already battered by unrest following the country’s 2011 revolution.

Citizens of the two countries make up around 40 per cent of foreign tourists to Egypt.

The drop in tourism revenues, a main source of foreign hard currency, has exacerbated a dollar shortage in Egypt that in turn has hit imports.

Government officials have blamed a foreign conspiracy targeting the Egyptian economy, while unveiling slick commercials to try to woo back the tourists. “There are no foreign tourists,” said Qasabgi, a father of five. “Spending by Egyptian tourists does not cover our daily expenses.”

The bazaar’s cafeterias and restaurants are empty save for some Egyptian families and strolling students.

A few tourists hopped off two buses parked at a plaza in front of the nearby Hussein mosque, but most returned without buying any souvenirs.

“Tourism has totally died,” said Abdel Rahman, a salesman at a large store specialising in lanterns and inscribed silver chandeliers.

A family of European tourists enters the shop and haggles over a small lamp. They leave empty-handed.

“The few tourists who do come almost always don’t buy anything,” said Abdel-Rahman, turning off the light to save on his electricity bill.

Traditionally, tourism has provided about 20 per cent of Egypt’s foreign currency needs. In February, Prime Minister Esmail Sharif told state television the country had already lost up to $1.3 billion since the airliner disaster.

Even before the Russian plane disaster, the tourism industry had been badly hit. In June 2015, police foiled an attempted suicide bombing near the famed Karnak temple in Luxor — one of Egypt’s most popular attractions — while 600 tourists were inside.

In September the same year, eight Mexicans were mistakenly killed by security forces in the vast Western Desert.

Last year, tourist numbers plunged by more than half, to 6.3 million, compared with 15 million in 2010. The number from Russia fell to 2.3 million, from 3.1 million in 2014.

At the same time, tourism revenues dropped by 15 per cent to $6.2 billion in 2015, compared with the previous year, according to official figures.

The government aims to attract 20 million tourists, with revenues of $26 billion, by 2020, through an international campaign to promote Egypt and develop tourist sites.

Egyptian authorities say they are in a “war on terrorism” since the military overthrow of Islamist president Mohammad Mursi in 2013 unleashed an insurgency.

President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi, the former army chief, has vowed to restore order, but attacks have persisted, especially in the Sinai Peninsula.

Jason Shi, a Chinese citizen in Egypt on a business trip, said he could not resist visiting the historic landmarks.

“We got a warning from our foreign ministry not to visit Sinai or to stay late in the streets or approach security premises,” he said outside Cairo Museum.

“But I cannot miss this opportunity to visit famous places like the pyramids and Old Cairo,” said Shi, who was accompanied by a Mandarin-speaking tourist guide.

Sharif Ebrahim, a 59-year-old waiter at a kebab restaurant in Khan Al Khalili, doubted the prospects of a recovery.

“No tourist in their right mind would come to Egypt,” he said. “I’m not optimistic with the new season when there is talk of terrorism and calls for [antigovernment] protests.”

EGYPT: Four Egyptians Killed In Attack On Sinai Hotel

Four people,a judge, a prosecutor, and two security personnel -- were killed on Tuesday and 14 were injured in North Sinai's restive city of Al-Arish during attacks on a hotel where judges supervising the ongoing parliamentary polls were residing.

The ISIS-affiliated militant group in North Sinai, Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, claimed responsibility for the attacks. The same group said earlier it had brought down the Russian airliner that killed all 224 on board over Sinai last month.

A suicide bomber was driving a car bomb into the hotel when security forces opened fire on him, causing the car to explode away from the Swiss Inn Hotel and the bomber to die, the military said in a statement.

Another attacker wearing an explosive belt later snuck into the hotel's kitchen and blew himself up, while a gunman went up to one of the hotel rooms and opened fire, killing a judge.

"One judge was among those killed and two civilians are among the injured. They were treated in Al-Arish public hospital, while 12 were transferred to a nearby military hospital," said Khaled Megahed, the health ministry spokesperson.

The Egyptian justice ministry later announced that prosecutor Amr Mostafa is among those who were killed. The army statement confirmed the attacks killed at least two police conscripts and injured other security forces.

Two suicide bombers and a gunman killed four people, including a judge, in an assault on Tuesday on a north Sinai hotel hosting judges overseeing Egypt's parliamentary polls, the government said.

The interior ministry said a judge, two policemen and a civilian were killed in the blasts at the Swiss Inn hotel in the town of El-Arish, the provincial capital of North Sinai where militants are waging an insurgency.

The first blast was triggered by a suicide car bomber followed by a militant who set off an explosive vest, the ministry said in a statement.

A third attacker sneaked inside a hotel room and shot dead the judge, the military said in a statement.

It said both bombers set off their explosives when police confronted them and traded shots with the attacker wearing the explosives vest.

Two judges, eight officers and conscripts and two civilians were wounded in the blasts, the interior ministry said. The military said 12 people had been wounded, including soldiers and policemen.

State television aired footage of shattered hotel windows and a charred limb, and car parts flung into a hotel terrace by the blast.

Egypt held its second round of parliamentary elections on Sunday and Monday, its first legislative vote since the military overthrew elected president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Morsi's ouster unleashed a deadly police crackdown on his followers, overseen by former military strongman Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.

Some Sinai militants have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and have killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers.

They have also claimed responsibility for bombing a Russian passenger plane after it left the south Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on 31 October, killing all 224 people on board.

Unlike the north of the peninsula, which has become a militant stronghold and is off limits to tourists, south Sinai is dotted with heavily secured Red Sea resorts.

"This brutal incident is a failed, desperate attempt to hinder the state," said army spokesman Mohamed Samir in the statement. "We emphasise that this incident will strengthen the persistence and determination of police and the armed forces to root out terrorism in North Sinai."

Ambulances rushed to the scene and gunshots could be heard following the explosion. A main coastal highway in the city has been shut down following the attack.

In a statement circulated by its supporters on Twitter, Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis said the attack was revenge for the imprisonment of female Muslims by the "apostate" Egyptian army.

"A brother hit with his car bomb a security force guarding the Swiss Inn Hotel where 50 judges were staying only to be followed by a lion who broke into the judges' headquarters with his automatic weapon then blew up his explosive belt among them."

For years, Egypt has been fighting in North Sinai an Islamist militant insurgency, which spiked in 2013 following Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's ouster.

Over the past two years, Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis claimed responsibility for a number of attacks, some of which targeted judges in Al-Arish.

Islamist militants, who have primarily targeted security forces since the removal of Morsi, have in recent months targeted several judges amid the conviction of many Morsi supporters in terror-related cases.

Last June, Egypt's top prosecutor Hisham Barakat died from injuries sustained in a Cairo bomb attack.

In March, a small bomb was left in front of the house of judge Fathi Bayoumi, who investigated the corruption charges against Mubarak-era interior minister Habib El-Adly. The words "a gift for El-Adly's acquittal" were scribbled on a wall near the attack.

Two months earlier, a bomb attack targeting judge Khaled Mahgoub, who is representing the general prosecution in Morsi's jailbreak trial, caused damage to the windows and walls of his house.

The parliamentary elections, the second stage of which took place Sunday and Monday, were not marred by violence. Judges are currently supervising the counting of the votes.

Run-offs are due on December 1 and 2.

RUSSIA: Air Links To Egypt To Remain Cut For Months

'The lights will not be going out in Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada while we are here, ' Sisi said. Sharm al-Sheikh accounts for about 70 per cent of visits by Britons, a major tourism market for Egypt.

Tens of thousands of Russian tourists were still awaiting more flights Tuesday.

In comments that may further anger Egyptian officials, Hammond suggested a few countries have a problem with training and motivation of security staff.

The Metrojet Airbus A321 crashed 23 minutes after taking off from the Sharm al-Sheikh tourist resort killing all 224 people on board, The plane was to arrive in St. Petersburg with mostly Russian passengers.

"We had obviously booked our time off work, packed all our cases, booked the vehicle into the airport auto park and made all the arrangements and it was not until Friday that it said on the website that we would not be flying out", she said.

BRITISH aviation experts analysed security at Sharm el-Sheikh just weeks before the alleged bombing of a Russian airliner but did not raise concerns about safety, a senior Egyptian official has said.

Kremlin's Ivanov added that it would be an impossible task for Egyptian authorities to revamp security within a month, stressing that efforts needed to be taken to bring standards up to a sufficient level.

Last Wednesday, Britain banned all flights to and from Sharm el-Sheikh airport, a move followed by Russian Federation over the weekend, over intelligence reports a branch of Isis in the Sinai planted a bomb on the Metrojet plane.

Others said security at the airport had been ramped up significantly, with armed guards on checkpoints outside the main terminal building and three further security checks inside.

More than 25,000 Russian tourists - stranded in the country when Russia suspended flights to Egypt - have left the country with carry-on luggage.

United Kingdom airlines are operating 10-11 passenger flights per day and Russian airlines are operating 20-25 passenger flights per day, the Ministry said.

Derek Moore, chairman of Britain's Association of Independent Tour Operators, said that following the crash "the key to air travel... will be the reputation of particular airports".

The deputy head of Russia's Union of the Tourism Industry, Yuri Barzykin, told Tass on Wednesday that Russian holidaymakers "should not dismiss the idea to relax at home" and should opt to holiday in Russia if they are finding alternatives to Egypt overseas too expensive.

EGYPT: Tourists You Are Welcome Back

Egyptians are calling on tourists to start returning to their country, now being safe. Indeed, very low prices and an enthusiastic population create a perfect environment for Egypt travellers.

In central Cairo's famous Tahrir Square, where the revolution was won, the victory is celebrated each Friday by large festive crowds, a growing number of tourists are taking place in the celebrations. They are still few, but are warmly received by the protesters, watching out for them and making sure they are safe.

Also at Tahrir Square, many of those having secured the revolution now are joining calls for international tourists to return to Egypt. "It is safe," they assure, and it would be the best way of the international community to support Egypt at these crossroads.

Indeed, tourists have never been as warmly welcomed to Egypt as these post-revolutionary days. The world-famous Egyptian Museum at Tahrir Square, which reopened earlier this week, welcomed the first international visiters with roses.

There are scenes of joy at the Giza pyramids; at the Nile cruiseboats; at historic sites in Luxor and Thebe as the first but few tourists start returning. Local businesses express their gratitude to the returnees in many ways.

One of these ways is lowering prices. Nile cruises could never be had as cheap as now; camel rides equally. Restaurants and hotels - even the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Cairo - offer major discounts to attract foreigners. Of course, occupancy rates are still far below normal.

Under these conditions, this is actually the best possible moment to visit Egypt. The joy of the revolution's victory is still strongly felt; visitors are welcomed in the warmest way; and prices in Egypt are at their lowest.

Although tourist numbers still are at their lowest, there is a remarkable interest in the Egyptian destination. Currently, only regular flights go to Egypt. Tour operators have not resumed charter flights.

But the two major markets for travellers to Egypt - the UK and Germany - will soon revive. Germany's giant TUI already on 1 March resumes flights to Egypt from most German airports. Austria's ETI event resumes Egypt trips tomorrow, 26 February. British Thomas Cook is already operating trips to Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada and Luxor.

"Our experienced teams on the ground assure us that no tourist areas at the Red Sea have been affected in any way by the recent demonstrations," Thomas Cook Ltd says in an Egypt update issued yesterday. "They are fully operational and holidaymakers are continuing to enjoy the popular resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada."

Other countries are slower in normalising their Egypt travel operations, in some cases cancelled until April or even May. But this is quickly changing as governments are removing their Egypt travel warnings. Swedish operator Apollo yesterday announced that, following the lifting of the Stockholm Ministry of Foreign Affairs' travel warning, its first flight to Hurghada was to be precipitated by one month, to 2 April.
Egypt is safe; Tourists, come back
Egyptian authorities are doing their best to hasten such changes in Europe - their main travel market - despite the problems at the Ministry of Tourism, where the ex-Minister and several of his aides have been fired over corruption allegations.

Visiting German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle yesterday met his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Abul-Gheit and other ministers, in talks that to a large degree addressed the tourism sector. Minister Abul-Gheit urged Germany to keep "the flow of tourists to the country" and Minister Westerwelle said government had not only lifted the trave warning, but was urging German tourists to visit Egypt.

Minister Abul-Gheit urged Germany to keep "the flow of tourists to the country" and Minister Westerwelle said government had not only lifted the trave warning, but was urging German tourists to visit Egypt.

Meanwhile, potential Egypt travellers all around the world are investigating ways to go and experience the new spirit in this ancient destination. Travel agents in the US are reporting on growing numbers of reservations and about tourists that had to cancel trips to Egypt earlier now are looking for new possibilities to go to the country.

From Finland, tour operator Finnmatkat reports a large request of people wanting to go to Egypt. These are both people made curious by the revolution and people that had to cancel their trips earlier this year. Among those having to cancel their trips, "many customers wanted to go Egypt in particular, which is why other destinations did not necessarily attract them", Finnmatkat reports. Following the pressure, trips from Finland to Egypt are to resume in mid-March.

Also TUI in Germany is noting an increased interest in its planned resumption of Egypt trips, which still remain fairly cheap. Interestingly, non-Germans are seeking to book Egypt travels through TUI as tour operators in their countries are slow to resume flights.

But despite these optimistic signals, the revivial of the Egytpian tourism industry is still very slow.

March will be the make-or-break month for the recovery of the country's tourism industry. Then, it will be seen if the 2011 season can be saved and if the large labour force in the sector can be maintained.

EGYPT: Unbelievable, 12 Tourists Killed By Security Forces By Mistake

At least 12 tourists mistakenly killed, including two Mexicans, in Egyptian air strike on convoy in the Western Desert.

Egyptian security forces have killed 12 people, including Mexican tourists, after mistakenly targeting their convoy while pursuing fighters in the country's Western Desert.

A joint police and military operation on Sunday "chasing terrorist elements" in Al Wahat "mistakenly" targeted four pick-up trucks carrying Mexican tourists, the interior ministry said in a statement.

There were conflicting reports about the number of Mexicans killed.

Egyptian security forces said eight Mexicans were killed, however the Mexican foreign ministry has so far confirmed that at least two of the dead were Mexican nationals.
The vast Al Wahat district has become a hideout for armed groups

The Mexican foreign ministry said in a statement that the victims were still being identified, and foreign ministry personnel were working with the families of the victims.

Mexican government demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.

"President Enrique Pena Nieto on condemned the incident. He also said that he is adding to the diplomatic personnel in Egypt to attend to the people that have been injured."

Egypt said "the incident led to the death of 12 Mexicans and Egyptians and wounding of 10 others".

"The area they were in was off limits to foreign tourists," it added.

The Mexican ambassador had visited five other nationals being treated at the Dar al-Fouad Hospital in a western Cairo suburb, where they were listed in stable condition, according to the Mexican foreign ministry.

The ministry gave few details about what happened, saying an "undetermined" number of Mexican tourists were attacked "in circumstances that are still not clear".

Mexico's foreign minister is scheduled to give a press conference on Monday.

Egypt's interior ministry did not indicate whether the tourists were targeted with automatic weapons or aerial bombardment during the operation against fighters on the Al Wahat district.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group in Egypt said in a statement that it had "resisted a military operation in the Western Desert" on Sunday.

The vast Western Desert, popular with tourists for its oases and rock formations, is also a hideout for armed groups.

Last month the Egyptian branch of the ISIL group beheaded a young Croatian there who was working for a French company and have also launched numerous attacks against security forces.

Egypt has been struggling to quell an insurgency in the Sinai peninsula, their main holdout in the country's east, since the military overthrew fromer president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

It has one of the region's most powerful and well-equipped militaries and was further boosted by recent deliveries of F-16 warplanes by Washington and Rafale fighter jets from France.

Last week the army launched an operation in the Sinai area against ISIL which it said killed 56 fighters.

The army often reports large death tolls among the armed group but they are impossible to verify and there has been little noticeable effect on ISIL's ability to carry out deadly attacks on the security forces.

The government says hundreds of police and soldiers have been killed, many of them in attacks claimed by ISIL's Sinai Province affiliate.

After launching spectacular attacks targeting security forces in its North Sinai bastion over the past two years, ISinai,IL fighters in Egypt are now adopting tactics similar to the main ISIL group in Iraq and Syria - abducting and beheading foreigners.

In July the group claimed the bombing of the Italian consulate in Cairo in which one civilian was killed, and it also claimed the killing of an American employee of oil company Apache last year in the Western Desert.

The beheading in July of Croatian engineer Tomislav Salopek, claimed by the ISIL group, appeared aimed at threatening tourists and foreign employees of Western firms - two cornerstones of an economy battered by years of political unrest since the 2011 uprising that ousted then-president Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt's economy is traditionally driven by tourism but arrivals have plummeted as the country tries to recover from years of political and economic chaos.

About 10 million tourists visited in 2014, down sharply from a 2010 figure of almost 15 million people who visited the country with its archaeological sites and Red Sea resorts.