The prospect of the ongoing war in Ukraine negatively affecting the Egyptian tourism sector is bringing to focus some of Egypt’s tourist destinations that have been preferred by Ukrainian and Russian tourists over the years.
Sharm el-Sheikh has always been one of these destinations.
The resort city is an irresistible attraction. Boasting one of the best and clearest spots on the Red Sea, Sharm el-Sheikh continues to function as a magnet for international tourists, despite the war.
It is still capable of drawing tourists and beach lovers as a prime vacation spot in the southern part of the Sinai peninsula.
Mesmerised by the view of the turquoise waters and endless stretches of white sandy beaches, visitors continue to pour into Sharm el-Sheikh, filling its hotels, cafés, nightclubs and beaches with life.
These people defy this country’s biting cold for these days and war concerns.
The resort city continues to pulsate with life, being a main attraction to tourists from all parts of the world.
Sharm el-Sheikh, which rose to fame almost three decades ago, having served as the venue of top international events, continues to act as a magnet for tourists.
Tour operators offer attractive packages to the city’s hotels and resorts, ones that are attracting a large number of tourists.
Water sports organisers are also doing their best to keep the city’s beaches and underwater sites busy.
Tour operators are competing to attract the biggest number of clients, with some offering packages at bargain prices.
Another group of operators adds transport and water sports activities to the packages.
Hotels, bars and entertainment centres are also offering affordable packages, drawing in new tourists to the top Egyptian resort, which in the past could only be afforded by Egypt’s rich and foreigners.
Some diving companies are offering unbeatable prices to attract divers from every part of the world to Sharm el-Sheikh’s famous house reef.
This is causing some tourists to arrive in the city and in large numbers.
Ras Mohamed National Park at the tip of Sinai is an easy, popular dive and a snorkelers’ paradise, rich with exotic underwater flora and rare, colourful tropical fish. It is one of the city’s most important sites.
Sharm el-Sheikh, for long a popular winter-break destination for Europeans, has been recently attracting more Arab tourists, in addition to Egyptians who are increasingly able to afford the sojourn.
Almost 80 per cent of Egypt’s tourists came from Russia and Europe, while Arabs made up 16% of the number of tourists visiting Egypt in recent years, according to official figures.
Egypt’s success in attracting Arab tourists is attributed to campaigns launched by the government over the years.
Some of the campaigns are launched under the slogan, ‘Egypt is Near’. These campaigns aim to attract Arab visitors, capitalising on strong relations between Egypt and Gulf Arab states.
Tourism revenues are expected to be hit hard by ongoing developments in Ukraine. Nonetheless, the hope among the nation’s tourism workers and investors is that promotional campaigns by the authorities in the coming period will bring in tourists from new markets.
Sharm el-Sheikh is by far the pride of Egypt’s beach and water sports tourism.
Palm tree leaves flutter, while the colourful lights of restaurants, hotels and lively bars confer an exciting touch on the beaches of the resort.
This city has a large number of advantages as a tourist destination.
It is safe and is a world on its own. It offers tourists a real respite from the problems happening in this region and in the world.
The next few months will show whether the war in Ukraine will have a deep effect on tourist inflows to the city.
However, so far tourists flow into the city to enjoy the beauty it has to offer those who arrive in it from all parts of the world.
Discussion about this post