Egyptian frustration as tourists stay away

Tourism sees 32% drop in visitors as ongoing street violence hits vital industry

Jack Shenker in Cairo
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 19 January 2012

COMMENT:

What else do the Salafists want? Blow up the Sphinx and the pyramids? How about all the ancient Egyptian treasures in the museums? How about all those ancient Egyptian temples and statues?

Will the Salafists follow the example of the Taliban and blow up all these treasures because "they are un-Islamic?"

I would not put it past them. They don't want tourists, they want darkness, backwardness and ignorance.

"....It is not just security problems that have got tour operators worried, not to mention the millions of Egyptians whose incomes depend indirectly on tourist money. The first post-Mubarak parliamentary elections have swept political Islamists into office with an overwhelming majority; 70% of seats in the legislature look set to be occupied by the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafist al-Nour party. The latter has mooted the possibility of new restrictions on alcohol sales and bikinis on beaches, a move which many believe would deal an irrecoverable blow to Egypt's reputation as a major tourist destination...."