posted
I brought my son to Egypt for a two week visit. He left a few days ago and he had a blast. While he was here I did the usual tourist circuit with him - things that I usually don't do as a resident here: pyramids, museum, Qaitbay Castle, Cairo Tower, the Cairo Zoo, etc. I noticed the entrance fees to these places are very high. Average 60 LE per site, with Cairo Tower now at 70 LE and we were even charged 20 LE to enter the Zoo (even though the ticket receipt she gave me said 1 LE).
With the high number of tourists and natives that enter these sites on a daily basis they must be collecting upwards of millions of pounds weekly. So it left me wondering: where does all this money go?
Does anyone know for sure? Does anyone care to wager a guess?
posted
CaQ, as with anything else, those prices are not fixed and negotiable.
Where does the money go? The same place the inflated/negotiated price of anything else goes - in someone's pocket. A copy of your marriage papers should have reduced the price of your admission without a problem.
Haven't you seen the ads on television telling people not to overcharge tourists?
Posts: 758 | From: Here. There. Everywhere. | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
The Egyptian residency in my passport had little or no effect ecxept on the days my husband went out with us and he argued for me to be charged as an Egyptian. This only happened at the pyramids.
I'm not talking about "overcharging tourists". I'm talking about the prices that are fixed and on the signs for admission to these places. These are obviously set by the government so if they want to follow their own rule of "not overcharging tourists" they might want to be the first to make the change.
Besides, this post is not about tourists being overcharged or me complaining about how much admission I was charged. It is about me wondering what becomes of all the money collected from admission to antiquities and tourist sites.
For example, in the US some proceeds collected on lottery tickets are used to offset education expenses in States and counties. Is a similar thing done in Egypt with money collected from tourist sites? Is it used to offset federal and local expenses or is it entirely used in the upkeep of the building or renovation of the site. For example, I'm sure much of the money collected at Cairo tower goes to pay their electricity bill which must be very high due to the enormous amount of lights adorning the building.
Posts: 1626 | From: whatever, wherever | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
I still haven't visited much in the way of touristy sites. I got the pyramids in back in 2007 but as for the rest, still to be done.
Is there a price listed at Cairo tower or 70 was just what they charged you? Do you know how much it would be for an Egyptian? It's one of the places I really really want to visit, but that's an outrageous fee.
Posts: 1283 | From: Cairo | Registered: Feb 2006
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Egypt is unjust. Also where does the money and taxes from businesses go? I have said this a million times, A Big Mac Combo in Egypt is basically the same price as it is in states like Maryland (USA). The Combo in Egypt is also much more expensive than cities like Hong Kong. Yet the salaries in Maryland and HK are enough for college kids to get by, pay rent, make car payments, live a life. The salary of an Egyptian McD employee is 15% of what they get in Maryland and HK.
Do you think that extra money is pocketed by the owners of Middle East McDonald? No. And it doesn't go back to Egypt. So where does it go?
The same applies for other businesses, including factory workers. Labor is so cheap, prices are the same as first world nations, yet the salaries are only 10-15% of what people are paid in western nations.
Is that enough proof to show the fine job that the respectable people of Egypt are doing to govern their own country.
Posts: 2275 | Registered: Dec 2009
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quote:Originally posted by LovedOne: I still haven't visited much in the way of touristy sites. I got the pyramids in back in 2007 but as for the rest, still to be done.
Is there a price listed at Cairo tower or 70 was just what they charged you? Do you know how much it would be for an Egyptian? It's one of the places I really really want to visit, but that's an outrageous fee.
Yes, the price of 70 LE is printed on the window sign. They make no mention of foreigner/Egyptian pricing - it just says flat out: Admission 70 LE. My husband said that at Cairo Tower at least, even Egyptians must pay the full admission price. He was under the impression it was 60 LE so it must have gone up to 70 LE in the last year or two since the last time he'd been by there.
Posts: 1626 | From: whatever, wherever | Registered: Jul 2008
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Egypt is unjust. Also where does the money and taxes from businesses go? I have said this a million times, A Big Mac Combo in Egypt is basically the same price as it is in states like Maryland (USA). The Combo in Egypt is also much more expensive than cities like Hong Kong. Yet the salaries in Maryland and HK are enough for college kids to get by, pay rent, make car payments, live a life. The salary of an Egyptian McD employee is 15% of what they get in Maryland and HK.
Do you think that extra money is pocketed by the owners of Middle East McDonald? No. And it doesn't go back to Egypt. So where does it go?
The same applies for other businesses, including factory workers. Labor is so cheap, prices are the same as first world nations, yet the salaries are only 10-15% of what people are paid in western nations.
Is that enough proof to show the fine job that the respectable people of Egypt are doing to govern their own country.
Actually, to buy a combo meal at McDonalds here is slightly higher than in the US. In the US we have a large "Dollar Menu" and you can find more items on it than what is on the "Five Pound" menu here. Subway is more expensive as well. I always attributed it to the cost of importing certain corporate logos and items.
But I understand exactly what you mean.
Posts: 1626 | From: whatever, wherever | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
The Cairo tower has been totally refurbished through private enterprise(Orascom of Sawiris) to make it look more appealing and interesting to tourists..the fee has been set to filter out riff raffs that seem to be everywhere you go.
Try visiting Carrefour on a friday and you'll get my point. Posts: 3219 | From: Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone. | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Dzosser: Try visiting Carrefour on a friday and you'll get my point.
Been there. Done that. (Took my son there as well. It was part of the itinerary of his Cairo tour.)
Posts: 1626 | From: whatever, wherever | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
I always thought the profits went back into preservation and conservation.
I was originally read that the Visa charge on Entry went to the Egyptian Museum to maintain it, but I am talking 18 years ago when I read this somewhere.
I imagine Ecotourism is vital to a country such as Egypt whose major tourist attraction is of vast cultural heritage.
Maccy D's here are around the same price as the UK and taste just as shite.
Fixed prices apply in most major tourist attractions, hence getting a ticket with the prices on.
Posts: 11097 | From: Cairo | Registered: May 2008
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posted
Not to mention salaries, tax and running costs (overheads)
I would also imagine there is a pot of profits kept aside as an emergency fund... you never know when restoration or repair is needed.
Being Government owned as well I would imagine some sites have to merely hand over the profits to the Government can use them as they desire..
Posts: 11097 | From: Cairo | Registered: May 2008
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Egypt is unjust. Also where does the money and taxes from businesses go? I have said this a million times, A Big Mac Combo in Egypt is basically the same price as it is in states like Maryland (USA). The Combo in Egypt is also much more expensive than cities like Hong Kong. Yet the salaries in Maryland and HK are enough for college kids to get by, pay rent, make car payments, live a life. The salary of an Egyptian McD employee is 15% of what they get in Maryland and HK.
Do you think that extra money is pocketed by the owners of Middle East McDonald? No. And it doesn't go back to Egypt. So where does it go?
The same applies for other businesses, including factory workers. Labor is so cheap, prices are the same as first world nations, yet the salaries are only 10-15% of what people are paid in western nations.
Is that enough proof to show the fine job that the respectable people of Egypt are doing to govern their own country.
Actually, to buy a combo meal at McDonalds here is slightly higher than in the US. In the US we have a large "Dollar Menu" and you can find more items on it than what is on the "Five Pound" menu here. Subway is more expensive as well. I always attributed it to the cost of importing certain corporate logos and items.
But I understand exactly what you mean.
You know something QSY, we'll never know where the money goes because sadly Egypt isn't transparent.
I do have AmCham data that indicates that trademark and import duties of supplies/materials are not the reason why employees are paid peanuts.
What sets you apart from most Expats is you actually questioned the inconsistencies, and that's cool. I mean who the hell does a person scream too. This whole "where does the money go?" issue is always ignored. I'll end it with a few facts. Egypt is a Police State. It takes a 60,000 L.E Bribe to enroll a son in a Police College - Academy that graduates (OFFICERS/THUBBATT).
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(Took my son there as well. It was part of the itinerary of his Cairo tour.)
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