Egypts tourist trade on road to recovery

Egypts tourist industry has had a rough time over the past couple of months, with most of the major tourist sites having stayed shut while the upheavals were going on.  Thankfully, for the Egyptian tourist industry, the party vibe that has accompanied the establishment of a new political system has been a shot in the arm for their beleaguered tourism trade. Tourists from across the globe are queuing up to experience the hubbub that you only ever get when a country has been liberated. The allure that history has for all of us, of living through a new political dawn, is like a siren call for travellers around the world. It is for many of the current generation, the equivalent of being around in Prague during the Spring, or being there for the fall of the Berlin wall.

Not that Egypt is usually short of tourists, as there are many other things to draw tourists towards the country. For example, how many countries can boast a river as rich in legends as the Nile, or an ancient structure as awe inspiring as the Sphinx? Egypt was one of the first great classical civilisations, a place where many of our myths and legends have come from. In particular, pop culture owes a massive debt, particularly the movies. Egypt can lay claim to the likes of Cleopatra, of King Tutankhamun, the Pharoahs, the Riddle of the Sphinx, and the Mummy. It is a land that fires the imagination of citizens around the world, whether they have been before, or dream of going one day.
 
Egypts tourist industry is massive. At the time of writing, it is believed to employ over two million Egyptian people, and is one of the countrys biggest sources of revenue. More than two hundred thousand visitors fleed the country during the recent revolution. However, outside the major metropolitan areas of Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, and Suez, there were no disruptions and many tourist attractions stayed open throughout. Many non metropolitan tourist hotspots saw a notable boost in trade during the revolution, with more than a few opportunistic tourists capitalising on the rock-bottom holiday prices that were on offer during that time. Now that the country has stabilised again, the big attractions such as the museums, the Sphinx, and the Pyramids, are busier than ever, with more visitors than at the same time last year. Provided that everything goes according to plan, then Egypt could well end up being the hottest tourist destination in 2011.

This piece on Egypts tourist industry was penned by Peter Janus. For great deals on Egypt holidays, go to the Thomas Cook website.