Back from Egypt: Jane Caro on the state of tourism in the country
This weekend saw coverage of a newly-discovered tomb, around 4000 years old, outside of Cairo, creating much excitement. Are discoveries like this enough to reverse the decline in Egyptian tourism numbers?
Numerous acts of terrorism including the 1997 killing of 58 tourists in Luxor, the 2004 Sinai bombings, and the Sharm-el-Sheikh attack in 2005, reversed the steady growth in tourism numbers of the 1980s and 1990s. Well-televised riots and changes of government accelerated the decline of visitation numbers leading to real hardship amongst those Egyptians dependent on tourism, reckoned to be about one person in eight.
Has this situation turned around of late, and what is the Egyptian government doing to address this decline?
We spoke to Jane Caro, Walkley award-winning journalist, consultant and author. She’s just returned from a trip to Egypt and Jordan.
