CAIRO // A year after militants bombed a Russian plane carrying holidaymakers in Egypt, tourism shows little sign of recovery.
In Khan El Khalil, 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,” says Amgad Qasabgi, 45, in front of his shop, a sequinned two-piece belly dancing outfit dangling over his head.
The ISIL-claimed bombing, which took place on October 31 last year, killed all 224 people on board after take-off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh.
Russia reacted by cancelling all flights to Egypt, while Britain cancelled all flights to Sharm El Sheikh itself, decimating a tourism sector already battered by unrest following the country’s 2011 revolution.
British and Russian citizens 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,” says Mr 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,” says 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,” Abdel Rahman says, turning off the light to save on his electricity bill.
Tourism has traditionally provided about 20 per cent of Egypt’s foreign currency needs.
In February, prime minister Ismail Sharif told state television the country had already lost up to US$1.3 billion (Dh4.8bn) since the airliner disaster.
But the tourism industry had been badly hit even before the Russian plane disaster.
In June last year, four months before the plane was hit, 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.
And three months later, eight Mexicans were mistakenly killed by security forces in the vast Western Desert.
Tourist numbers plunged by more than half last year 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 have been engaged in a “war on terrorism” since the military overthrow of president Mohammed Morsi in 2013 sparked a militant insurgency.
Former army chief president Abdel Fattah El Sisi 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.”
Sherif Ibrahim, a 59-year-old waiter at a kebab restaurant in Khan El Khalil, 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 [anti-government’ protests.”
* Agence France-Presse
