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T O P I C     R E V I E W
William Jackson
Member # 3370
 - posted

My last visits to Egypt were in '97 &
'98. Tourism volumn was very good then in April and May of those years.
From recent observations what has the world(and US involvement)done to the tourism business there?Has it suffered?
I know that Egyptian Gross National Product depnds a lot on this business
and the merchants,tourist guides etc could suffer from a drastic decrease in tourism.Hope to hear from someone. I am now planning my third trip. The political situation will not deter me however. William

------------------

William
 

Bulldog
Member # 2721
 - posted
Hello William.
Yes there are lots of tourists who still visit Egypt. Myself I am a diehard visitor and go no matter what the situation. (well Almost) At yhe moment tourism is on the up & the exchange rate is also very good right now. Enjoy your stay.
 
strangelookingnegro
Member # 151
 - posted
I moved to Cairo in early 98 to take a real job in construction. I hated it and by the end of that year was finished with real jobs in Egypt.

By the end of 2000 I started a tour company, and by AUG. 2000 I had enough bookings for OCT 2000 that it looked like it was going to be successful enough to support me here..then guess what happened in Sept? 9/11 took it's toll. Everyone of my customers, save one, cancelled, and only a very very few people during the next year took the chance to come to Egypt.

Egypt started to offer loads of unbelievably cheap package deals to Europeans to get them to come back, and they did, but for me that did me no good..... my customer base is not the back packer nor the SUPER budget traveler. How it may have helped was to get people here and prove to the rest of the world that Egypt was indeed still safe.

Then last year GWB fullfilled his promise to invade Iraq and once again things slowed down considerably.

Only now does it seem to be picking back up and headed more toward the good old days. I noticed it was incredibly busy at the pyramids over the Christmas holiday period, but have been told that is common and that rush is now finished. But I will say that at least it is nice to see the parking lots out there filled with buses in the mornings instead of the one lone one sitting there waiting for maybe 10-15 tourists to come back to it. That was sad.

Insha'alla it will come back and stay good for a very long time.

------------------
www.casualcairodetours.pyramids.net for customized excursions in Cairo and beyond
Dds71@aol.com
 

Shareen
Member # 989
 - posted
I am not quite sure where you are coming from William. My first ever visit to Egypt was summer 1998, and my tour group was one of the very first to venture back into Egypt after the Luxor incident at Hatshepsuts Temple. From Nov 1997, certainly no British tour groups were heading out to Egypt, our Foreign Office advised against travel, and all tour companies pulled out.
Yet you say tourism volume was very good? In my experience it is only in the last couple of years that it has really started to pick up, and I am a 3 times a year visitor.
And why do you think tourism will suffer a drastic decrease? Do you know something the rest of us dont know?
Plan your 3rd trip, and be assured that the main tourist areas will be busy and full of tourists. Prices are high at the moment, and even last minute deals are expensive, suggesting that holidays to Egypt are selling extremely well.
In fact, there is already one flight in August (hottest time of the year, and off season in Egyptian tourism) which is already completely sold out.
Lol, so if anyone is planning on flying Brittania, flight only on Aug 18, Manchester to Luxor, forget it..... no seats left!
I hope you have a wonderful trip William, and I hope Egypt lives up to your memories

 
akshar
Member # 1680
 - posted
Well my husband has been working in tourism since he could toddle and he says that the 2/3 years before Hatshepsut were really good and everyone in Luxor could find work if they wanted to.

The massacre at Hatshepsut was the death of that and since then everytime there seems to be a recovery there is another disaster that hits them. In Luxor apart from 9/11 and the Gulf wars they also had the new bridge which has particualrly hit the people of the West Bank.

Nowadays tourists are picked up in their A/C coachs and taken direct to the sites so a huge percentage of tourist dollar is staying with the tour companies rather than going into the local economy. I am sure the government benefits from this but little trickles down to the locals.

As Debbie says Egypt has become a cheap holiday destination as well so the quality of the tourists has dropped and they are always looking to bargain the locals down from 15 LE to 10 LE and yet this difference means nothing to the tourist and everything to the Egyptian.

When you get that taxi driver to take a lower fare how much do you think he can spend on maintenance of his vehicle. Would you rather pay a higher price and know the brake fluid had been topped up?

So according to Mahmoud tourisn in Luxor has never recovered since Hatshepsut.

------------------
UK Co-owner of www.toursinluxor.co.uk Accommodation and Tours in Luxor
 

strangelookingnegro
Member # 151
 - posted
quote:
Originally posted by akshar:
When you get that taxi driver to take a lower fare how much do you think he can spend on maintenance of his vehicle. Would you rather pay a higher price and know the brake fluid had been topped up?

VERY VERY good point!

I wish you would post this same thought in the Lonely Planet TT. Those cheap backpackers in there need to hear this sort of message.

------------------
www.casualcairodetours.pyramids.net for customized excursions in Cairo and beyond
Dds71@aol.com
 

Kenzie
Member # 3519
 - posted
It has been noticed lately that most of the European Tour Operators are selling Luxor as an optional overday/night excursion from the Red Sea area. In addition the Nile cruises are a major threat to the land program as most Tour Operators are only selling Upper Egypt on the Cruise boats.

Luxor is mainly a charter destination controlled by Tour Operators, where the British market is considered the main feeder market representing 70 - 75% of the total business arriving to Luxor.

Some new Hotels have opened in Luxor making the 5* room nights available to 2519 per night. The Tour Operators are now dictaing the prices to the Hotels as there is a decrease in demand to Luxor but more rooms to sell.

Over the past 4 years Luxor has decreased in occupancy at a rate of 3% per year.
 

strangelookingnegro
Member # 151
 - posted
never mind

[This message has been edited by Debbie (edited 11 February 2004).]
 

loriglenn
Member # 3413
 - posted
Akshar:

Thank you for your insight. My husband and I are travelling to Egypt in a couple weeks. I have been amazed at all the postings I've seen on travel boards about the bargaining down from 15 LE to 10 LE, as you point out. People seem to take real pride in this. We certainly will not be taking this approach. As a matter of fact, because of the low cost of everything, we will be able to be more generous.
I have gathered that Egyptian kids like pens, so we've bought 100+ and also lollipops and peanut M&M's (my favorite!). Also, we will be having lunch in the Sinai with a Bedouin family and I read that they like toothbrushes/toothpaste, so I have also purchased those. Can you recommend any other small gift items that people would enjoy?
Many thanks,
LG
 

akshar
Member # 1680
 - posted
quote:
Originally posted by loriglenn:
Akshar:

Thank you for your insight. My husband and I are travelling to Egypt in a couple weeks. I have been amazed at all the postings I've seen on travel boards about the bargaining down from 15 LE to 10 LE, as you point out. People seem to take real pride in this. We certainly will not be taking this approach. As a matter of fact, because of the low cost of everything, we will be able to be more generous.
I have gathered that Egyptian kids like pens, so we've bought 100+ and also lollipops and peanut M&M's (my favorite!). Also, we will be having lunch in the Sinai with a Bedouin family and I read that they like toothbrushes/toothpaste, so I have also purchased those. Can you recommend any other small gift items that people would enjoy?
Many thanks,
LG


little note books, hair slides/bands/clips, jewellery (not gold and silver but cheap beads), makeup, nail varnishes, flags (Jamican/Bob Marley are v popular but your local flag to fly a above a boat), football stuff (posters or similar), sexy underwear, any kind of clothes

If you bring all this lot you wont have room for your own luggage

------------------
UK Co-owner of www.toursinluxor.co.uk Accommodation and Tours in Luxor
 

skully
Member # 3464
 - posted
does anyone know, how much it would cost me to buy a house in cairo? Like how much US dollars?

thanks
 

loriglenn
Member # 3413
 - posted
Thanks Akshar. I guess I'll have to ship a trunk full of stuff ahead of time...lol
LG
 
Shareen
Member # 989
 - posted
quote:
Originally posted by Kenzie:

Luxor is mainly a charter destination controlled by Tour Operators, where the British market is considered the main feeder market representing 70 - 75% of the total business arriving to Luxor.

Some new Hotels have opened in Luxor making the 5* room nights available to 2519 per night. The Tour Operators are now dictaing the prices to the Hotels as there is a decrease in demand to Luxor but more rooms to sell.

Over the past 4 years Luxor has decreased in occupancy at a rate of 3% per year.



Actually the situation here in England is not the decrease in demand, but the decrease in the number of hotel rooms and flights available. British tourists are increasingly finding it difficult to get a package holiday to Luxor, and flight only deals are becoming prohibitively expensive.
As of today, the package holiday I have booked to travel in March is completely sold out, no other tour company in the UK is offering any holidays at all! So demand is high, very high. I also wished to travel in August, but was tied to one particular date, that date is also fully booked up.
So this is not a case of decreased demand, but a case of the tour companies limiting the number of holidays they are selling in order to keep the price extortionately high.

 

strangelookingnegro
Member # 151
 - posted
loriglenn - One thing you need to know is to be careful when handing out your goodies. Be very careful. If you find an opportunity to give the pens, candy or whatever away, it is wise to give it to the parents of the children instead of to the children. Let the parents supervise giving it out.
More than once I've seen small children beaten up or pushed down by bigger kids to get the pens, or whatever, away from them. A nice little gathering of children can and will turn into a mob scene quickly if not supervised by someone that can speak their language and control them.
Also, if you are giving something away to what seems ONE child, don't be surprised if 20 children appear quickly to get their share.
While your idea of giving this stuff out is very nice, be careful and watch out. The last thing you want to witness is a little girl ending up bloody because you gave her a pen that some big boy wanted. Giving the supply to the parents or handing it out IN FRONT OF the parents is the way to do it.
 
Kenzie
Member # 3519
 - posted
EG: Thomsons are now selling an allotment of seats on their planes with JMC, Golden Joy / Libra and Viking Travel / Discover Egypt. The planes they are using are smaller. The flight only prices are high because they are trying to encourage people to go into the Hotels so it looks better to take a complete package. Each week about 25% of the flight seats are sold on flight only basis.
 
Kenzie
Member # 3519
 - posted
I have just booked a holiday to Luxor. Thomson 7 nights BB at St Joe 320 Sterling at the end of March. How much is a flight only?
 
Kenzie
Member # 3519
 - posted
OMG A flight only during the same period is 340 sterling. suggest to everyone to book the complete package. Flight and Hotel.
 
loriglenn
Member # 3413
 - posted
Hi Debbie:

Thank you very much for the great advice. I could have easily created an ugly situation as it never would have dawned on me that there could be so much fighting over the goodies. I will certainly hand things over to an adult each and every time. Or maybe I will just dole them out to e.g the maids in the hotels for them to bring home to their children.
As always, your advice is greatly appreciated.
Lori
 

_
Member # 3567
 - posted

I lived in Egypt from 1994 - 1998 and still come yearly back on vacation. I will always enjoy Egypt because I know it and its people. There the most friendly people on earth and not much crime either.

For example I never hear that some tourists get robbed, raped or even murdered (like in other tourist countries). In fact my friend forget her bag one night in the taxi and the driver came up w/ the boab to return it. Nothing was missing.
My hubby lost two times his cell phone in taxis and got it back each time.
Years back I had a bad argument one day w/ my ex-boyfriend on the street (after all it was very embarrassing) but quickly two people came up and ask me if I need help. You don't see this too often in other countries.
Again, people are very honest in Egypt and I love to be on vacation there.
There are some corrupt people out there but your inner voice should tell you anyway to stay away from them. And if you have a bad experience learn out from it.

At my last visit last year I heard from some Egyptians that less tourists coming after 9/11 but when I was there our hotel was booked out. Anyhow I believe people - like me - who love Egypt will always come back again. And I hope even more people will come and enjoy their holidays there.

PS: I come again in June - I am so happy!!!!
 

jaguar
Member # 3378
 - posted
quote:
Originally posted by Kenzie:

Luxor is mainly a charter destination controlled by Tour Operators, where the British market is considered the main feeder market representing 70 - 75% of the total business arriving to Luxor.


I would not like to offend Luxor foreign tour leaders, reps nor operators. They are ruining Luxor.. They are financially abusing Bazaars, restaurants, pubs, shops.. you name it.
NO MONEY-NO HONEY. All goes there by the holy %. That is how it works there. I hope I am not being cruel. BUT I have got the scars to prove it.

[This message has been edited by jaguar (edited 12 February 2004).]
 

Shareen
Member # 989
 - posted
quote:
Originally posted by jaguar:
I would not like to offend Luxor foreign tour leaders, reps nor operators. They are ruining Luxor.. They are financially abusing Bazaars, restaurants, pubs, shops.. you name it.
NO MONEY-NO HONEY. All goes there by the holy %. That is how it works there. I hope I am not being cruel. BUT I have got the scars to prove it.

[This message has been edited by jaguar (edited 12 February 2004).]


ROFLMAO!!!

 

Shareen
Member # 989
 - posted
quote:
Originally posted by Kenzie:
EG: Thomsons are now selling an allotment of seats on their planes with JMC, Golden Joy / Libra and Viking Travel / Discover Egypt. The planes they are using are smaller. The flight only prices are high because they are trying to encourage people to go into the Hotels so it looks better to take a complete package. Each week about 25% of the flight seats are sold on flight only basis.

Exactly Kenzie.... Thomson has 2 flights, Manchester and Gatwick, those flights now cater for 4 tour companies, JMC, Libra, Portland and Thomson, thereby halving the number of flights going to Egypt, JMC and Libra used to use other flights on other days, which are no longer operating. So demand is still high, but the number of holidays is halved.

And have a wonderful time at the St Joseph, great hotel, shame you are going a tad earlier, might have caught up with you for a coffee



 

jaguar
Member # 3378
 - posted
quote:
Originally posted by Shareen:
ROFLMAO!!!

Nervous Laugh?? Pull yourself together lady !
 




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