Choosing a holiday destination is always a difficult task. There are so many different things to think about nowadays – Do they have a decent travel network? What are the local beaches like? Does the place have a decent nightlife? And is there any chance of political or social upheaval throughout the country, which could potentially result in a revolution or uprising?
Obviously the 4th question isn’t normally something you tend to consider when flicking through the travel agent brochures, however after the events in Egypt and Libya, researching into the socio-political stability of your holiday destination is now more important than ever.
Egypt – Safe to travel?
The kingdom of the Pharaohs is, and always will be, a popular tourist attraction. Every year millions of tourists and holiday makers fly into Egypt, hoping to take a cruise up the Nile, or to visit any number of Egypt’s important historical sites, such as the temple at Luxor, or the pyramids.
The recent disturbances which resulted in the end of President Mubarak’s 30 year reign caused a number of problems for Egypt’s extensive tourism industry. Presently there is a nationwide curfew in effect in Egypt, which currently extends from 00:00 – 06:00. However, according to the Foreign Office the curfew is not in effect around the Red Sea area or Luxor, meaning that the majority of tourists are not affected by the restrictions.
In addition to the curfew a number of disturbances on the 8th and 9th of March occurred in Cairo and Alexandria. With the political situation in Egypt still uncertain, the Foreign Office is continuing to urge caution and keep a close eye on news and radio reports, as well as avoiding large gatherings and demonstrations, especially those held on Fridays.
With the military now firmly in charge it appears that Egypt is once again getting back on track. Yesterday the Interior Minister dissolved the State Security Investigation Service, a notorious tool used to oppress the population and allegedly tied to hundreds of human rights abuses.
Travel
The majority of carriers and services have continued to operate as normal, despite the uncertainty. Travel is currently unrestricted, unless you want to cross into certain border regions, such as the Sudan or Gaza.
If you are thinking of taking a quick break to Egypt then you may to want to consider looking into the UAE carrier Etihad. The airline is currently running a 25% discount on flights for those enrolled in their Etihad Guest programme. Etihad currently runs a number of services to Egypt, including routes to Abu Dhabi from Cairo and services from Chicago and Dubai, as well as a number of other routes to Alexandria.
Oh well, if you really want to go to Egypt, you can. Although is not a hundred percent safe but it would be most unlikely they will occur in areas where tourists are extensive.