Tourism is a lifeblood for the Egyptian economy; it accounts for 12% of GDP, but tour operators and governments are queuing up to warn people to stay away.
The Italian government on Sunday warned its nationals to stay in their resorts and not book holidays; the UK said the same along with Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Russia, France, and Spain.
“We aren’t accepting any departures until August 20. Some other tour operators have stopped bookings until 15 September. This is the case in Germany, to a certain extent in France, and in Russia where they will stop travelling for a while,” says tour operator Fabio
Catafei at Rome airport.
Catafei at Rome airport.
Most deemed at risk are the Red Sea resorts, Cairo and its pyramids, and the Nile cruises. Europe’s largest tour operator, Germany’s TUI has cancelled all its domestic client’s trips until mid-September.
The Mugada resort was the scene of a big pro-Brotherhood demonstration in the town on Saturday, as the unrest spread from the capital.