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Monday 15 April 2024

Regional tourism is collateral damage in the Middle East



The Middle East is a huge area - and tourism right across the region is suffering from the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza.

And it is not just flights being re-routed. 

The Egyptian capital of Cairo, for instance, is approximately 450 kilometres from Gaza, but tourism in Egypt has slumped.

My former colleague Peter Lynch was recently in Egypt for Cruise & Travel Magazine's coverage of river cruise specialist Uniworld's Nile cruises on board the SS Sphinx (top image).

He reports that "Egyptians are suffering huge and unfair economic collateral damage thanks to Gaza conflict many miles away".

He added: "While we sailed in tranquillity along the world's longest river, the only evidence of the conflict was the way the Egyptian pound was plunging in value against the Australian dollar. Good news for us - but bad news for our Egyptian friends."

Lynch reports on Egyptologist Ramadan Bassiouny, who has sailed the Nile for 30 years with Uniworld. He has helped thousands of travellers – including hundreds of Australians – discover the  secrets of his country’s centuries-old culture.

“Please tell your people they will be welcomed and it is safe,” he says.

Australians once account for 30% of Uniworld’s two-ship fleet on the world’s longest river. but numbers are dwindling as the goverment warns against travel to the Middle East.

Just FYI, noted gourmet Lynch reports the food is excellent on boards the SS Sphinx. "Stuffed pigeon is the specialty, and the desserts are to die for," he told GOTR.

For details and special offers on Egypt see Uniworld’s website here. Also check out https://cruisepassenger.com.au/




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