Your thoughts about visiting the Egyptian Red Sea

[Diver0001]

I made a similar request last year after the revolution but as we come into high season, I'd like to ask how past, present and potential visitors feel about coming to Egypt for their holidays. Even the non-diving package tourism.

I've been there twice since the revolution and I can't wait to go again. Nothing about the revolution makes me think twice about going there.

We've taken a massive hit since the dizzy peaks of 2010 before shark attacks and a revolution almost crippled the business here, and my centre just got super busy because we are in German high season right now - and we don't have the staff to cope. In fact, all the major operators in Sharm are stretched to their limits. Foreign staff left in their droves; there's a lot of new and inexperienced staff - mostly Egyptian but also a fair few foreigners trickling in for their IDCs and IEs, and for sure I'm seeing a lot of things underwater that I don't like.

Too bad I don't live there. I between jobs right now and it would be great to have a gig for a few months working in Egypt.

But because I live here, I have a very objective view of what's going on. I understand the general business principles involved in the mass tourism market, but I don't really get a feeling for what people in Europe are thinking. I understand perfectly why people would think twice about coming here, but it's not something I ever have to think about...!

Well... Egypt is a prime location for diving from Europe because it's only a few hours of flying, it's relatively cheap, everything works, the diving is out-of-this-world and it's only 1 hour difference in time zone. If you're seeing a drop in the number of tourists then it will be people who are delaying travel plans and not cancelling them. And don't worry. They won't be going to Greece. In Europe Greece is quickly becoming a pariah and their latest antics will only hurt tourism more. In fact, I'd say that Germans in particular would probably rather go just about anywhere else than Greece right now, which may partially explain the peak you're seeing.

So - I'd like to know your thoughts and opinions. Did you find it's changed for the worse since the revolution? Were you put off visiting because of the uncertainty of the political future of the country, or even that they've elected an Islamic government - and please, please don't start a heated debate about politics and religion - purely tourism and dive holidays! I'd also like to hear from people who have worked in Egypt or are thinking of looking for work here in the future....

I've traveled a lot and I've seen a lot so take that into consideration but I've never felt unsafe in Egypt and I'll keep on going. In fact, the only place in the world I've ever really felt unsafe was in the USA just after 9-11. I very nearly got shot by an over-stressed security guard in the Portland airport and NOTHING happening in Egypt, even during the height of the revolution (I was there a few weeks later) feels even remotely as threatening as having a sweating, fat, stressed out rent-a-cop who was probably the bullied kid that never got picked for the team point a gun at you and start screaming.

R..

 

[Searcaigh]

Slightly off topic Crowley, not from a tourist but from a business point of view.

Until last year I worked for a US company that was bought over by a Spanish company mid 2011

Under the US company, the policy since the revolution was that nobody was to travel there, under our new Spanish company policy, we are free to visit.

Having lived in the region for over 26 years I have never had any major issues even though my hair colour makes me stand out from locals everywhere except in Scotland and Ireland. I am always a foreigner to most locals in any part of the world.

My advice to anyone thinking about going to visit Egypt for diving is to go, enjoy the reduced crowds while it lasts

 

[FMEVS]

After postponing our trip planned last autumn, and again this spring, we've been waiting 'til the very last moment before finally booking our flights.
We wanted to take the kids to Cairo, and then down to Luxor before heading to the Red Sea, but with the latest developments, we did a last-minute switch of plans to fly directly to Hurghada instead. For our 6th trip to Egypt, we'll be doing our first liveaboard down to Fury Shoals and then stay a couple of days in Hurghada area.

Here in Paris, our diver friends are jealous, whereas the non-diving friends think that we're taking unnecessary risks. The fact that a French newspaper added to the fire doesn't make it easier.

 

[Panorama-S]

Sinai is one area I would stay well clear of given further news reports today but all the tourist areas are very quiet with no bother at all. I've seen only one small demonstration, during the elections, in Hurghada and this was peaceful and short lived. Many of my friends are still booking trips to come diving and at the moment I see no need to to caution them against coming. Egypt needs it's tourism industry to survive and the government know this too, hence all the extra police on the streets and the vehicle check points. The bonus for any divers coming here at the moment is that the dive sites are quiet and prices are very low as the competition out there for your business is intense. Russian and German visitors are the main in Hurghada at the moment with a few French and Itialian too. It's a real shame there are not more Brits out here too as it would be very nice to have a good chin wag about everything happening in the UK at the moment. I have no plans to leave Egypt as I feel very safe and settled here. Should the situation change then I would re-think my game plan but for now, I'm staying put as there is no reason to leave. Please don't write off Egypt as a no go country, only a few areas are unsafe at the moment. We need you to come and enjoy the diving and Egypt needs you too.

 

[Diver0001]

Sinai is one area I would stay well clear of given further news reports today but all the tourist areas are very quiet with no bother at all. I've seen only one small demonstration, during the elections, in Hurghada and this was peaceful and short lived.

The thing about demonstrations is that you can always turn and walk the other way. People who are demonstrating are generally not focused on anything other than what they're doing. I recall seeing a large demonstration in India about 15 years ago. I don't even know what it was about but it was around the time that Pakistan developed a nuclear bomb and there was a lot of consternation and anger about it in India. In fact, in the national newspaper they even printed an article on the front page telling people to calm down because if Pakistan had a bomb it was more dangerous to the Pakistanis than it was to anyone else... LOL The point being that even from 2 blocks away I could observe it safely and had lots of time to GTFO when the throwing of objects started.

People who get hurt in demonstrations are seldom in the wrong place at the wrong time. Most often they're in there getting a piece of the action, which is completely voluntary.

R..

 

[lb7047]

I just returned from Egypt,i took 24 people with me. We spent a week site seeing,we did a 4 day Nile cruise,two days in Cairo and a week on a live a board with Blue O2. There were never any issues,we felt totally safe. We were in Cairo two blocks from the US embassy when it was so called attacked. The US media has destroyed these poor people economy. After being in Egypt and seeing how the media reported. I have lost all respect for the media. I'm not sure what kind of agenda our media has in store for us. The Egyptian people made us feel welcome and thanked us for not listening to the media. It was the most awesome experience that my group has ever experienced. Planning to go back next year

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2

 

[Tippytoes12]

Since we learned to dive in Sharm in 2008 my husband and I have been back several times, twice to Dahab and twice on liveaboards. For a quick week diving , you really cannot beat it and we love , in particular, the consistently sunny weather.

Having been in Nairobi in 2007 when we personally overheard journos in our hotel discussing how to make their "pieces to camera" as scary and gory as possible, I take news reports about rioting foreigners with a large pinch of salt. We always try to remember the workers in the hospitality trade in these countries , who have no financial safety net . So unless riots were confirmed in the Sanai , we would go back again.

The clarity of the water in Egypt is amazing and we just love the fabulous coral that is is such better condition than in other parts of the world.

At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old girl , there are two things I don't like. One is the attitude of the local men to women by themselves. I personally dislike packing boxes, rinsing gear, doing up and changing and moving tanks and then being told off if I do something wrong. It would be really nice if shore based centres gave guests the option of having a dive centre person do it for them, for extra cost of course, just as is done in Thailand and Indonesia and Malaysia !. This would help give a little bit of extra employment to local people and it would give guests some extra time to chat and chill out after the dive........I realise that many other people may not share this view !

 

[Panorama-S]

Since we learned to dive in Sharm in 2008 my husband and I have been back several times, twice to Dahab and twice on liveaboards. For a quick week diving , you really cannot beat it and we love , in particular, the consistently sunny weather.

Having been in Nairobi in 2007 when we personally overheard journos in our hotel discussing how to make their "pieces to camera" as scary and gory as possible, I take news reports about rioting foreigners with a large pinch of salt. We always try to remember the workers in the hospitality trade in these countries , who have no financial safety net . So unless riots were confirmed in the Sanai , we would go back again.

The clarity of the water in Egypt is amazing and we just love the fabulous coral that is is such better condition than in other parts of the world.

At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old girl , there are two things I don't like. One is the attitude of the local men to women by themselves. I personally dislike packing boxes, rinsing gear, doing up and changing and moving tanks and then being told off if I do something wrong. It would be really nice if shore based centres gave guests the option of having a dive centre person do it for them, for extra cost of course, just as is done in Thailand and Indonesia and Malaysia !. This would help give a little bit of extra employment to local people and it would give guests some extra time to chat and chill out after the dive........I realise that many other people may not share this view !

Something for us to consider at our centre..thanks for the tip

 

[elmagnoon]

The risk is considerably higher. It is not a war zone but it is unpredictable. Protests and embassy attacks are not the true measure of safety and security though they indicate some measure of instability.
The road between Dahab and Sharm is unsafe that at times of the night and sometimes day police group vehicles and provide escort. The roads in all of Sinai are not safe at night and many cars have been hijacked or shot at. Cairo-Taba road is not safe day or night; you really would not want to break down there. The same lack of security applies to all of Cairo.
Thugs and mob mentality now rule all of Egypt. There's nor fear of police and police often avoid confrontation with large groups of people. There are many horror stories right across the country and one that I witnessed was in Dahab.
A boy hit a girl in school that escalated in the girl's brother shooting the boy's older brother and ended with the police advising the father of the boy who was shot to either leave town or settle his dispute peacefully by himself because the shooter was Bedouin. Saidis (people from upper Egypt) who live in Dahab support others like them blindly by ganging up and violently attacking the other party of a conflict.
Bedouins extort money from large hotels and restaurants and claim it is for security. The police advised those business to just pay up and worked out a deal between the hotels and the Bedouins where a Bedouin is stationed in each hotel as "security". The stories go on and on and on.
There's an apparent change in the value-system and norms of behavior. A complete breakdown of morals and a rise of mob mentality.

The odds of a visitor getting in trouble in someway are rising and that is the whole point. Each person decides if the benefits out weigh the risks.

 

[Solly]

The risk is considerably higher. It is not a war zone but it is unpredictable. Protests and embassy attacks are not the true measure of safety and security though they indicate some measure of instability.
The road between Dahab and Sharm is unsafe that at times of the night and sometimes day police group vehicles and provide escort. The roads in all of Sinai are not safe at night and many cars have been hijacked or shot at. Cairo-Taba road is not safe day or night; you really would not want to break down there. The same lack of security applies to all of Cairo.
Thugs and mob mentality now rule all of Egypt. There's nor fear of police and police often avoid confrontation with large groups of people. There are many horror stories right across the country and one that I witnessed was in Dahab.
A boy hit a girl in school that escalated in the girl's brother shooting the boy's older brother and ended with the police advising the father of the boy who was shot to either leave town or settle his dispute peacefully by himself because the shooter was Bedouin. Saidis (people from upper Egypt) who live in Dahab support others like them blindly by ganging up and violently attacking the other party of a conflict.
Bedouins extort money from large hotels and restaurants and claim it is for security. The police advised those business to just pay up and worked out a deal between the hotels and the Bedouins where a Bedouin is stationed in each hotel as "security". The stories go on and on and on.
There's an apparent change in the value-system and norms of behavior. A complete breakdown of morals and a rise of mob mentality.

The odds of a visitor getting in trouble in someway are rising and that is the whole point. Each person decides if the benefits out weigh the risks.

I cant simply disagree more.... What you are describing is a situation of completechaos which isnot the case..... True it is not as safe as it used to be but it is still better than many other places all over the world !