Egypt Tours: Ancient Egyptian Artifacts
Many families in Al-Bairat, Egypt are slipping further into poverty due to the ever-increasing decline of tourism in the country. Many families are completely dependent upon the extra work provided by seasonal tourism and have be struggling for years now to even feed everyone in their homes.
According to NY Times author, Kareem Fahim, Tourism provides direct jobs for almost three million residents. More than seventy industries in Egypt receive critical income from tourism, and twenty percent of the state's foreign income is provided by the tourism industry. The explanation for the disappearance of Egyptian tourism is the incessant political unrest and the street violence that disrupts natives and tourists alike.
The state's fame for tourism nose-dived in 2011 with the revolution and fall of former President Hosni Mubarak. Within the last two years beach lovers have returned to the state, but there is no return of large spending, luxury holiday tourists.
Locals blame the media that appears to print only headlines regarding riots. These headlines exacerbate the problem and bring on fear among would-be travelers. Cairo is showing the biggest decline in hotel occupancy.
According to Fahim, rather than target Americans who cancel travel plans due to a media report on recent violence. Egyptian government officials and tourism proponents have spent time targeting Iran and India's travelers. Targeting a large Muslim crowd to travel to Egypt is a move that is controversial as ultraconservative Sunni Islamists promote warning Egyptians regarding Shiite Islam. The political strain is mounting.
In addition to the loss of tourism income, the state lost Zahi Hawass, the antiquities minister serving Hosni Mubarak. Hawass is being called to resign and is not met with hostility and suspicion in his ties to Mubarak. Hawass is a promoter of tourism for Egypt as National Geographic features his work regularly and pays him annually as a explorer in residence a sum of $200,000, according to Kate Taylor writer for NY Times.
Hawass has secured his position to date and still serves as cultural ambassador. However, the current Egyptian governments have called into question much of his income, financial endeavors, and activities. His ties to the Mubarak regime are still under investigation. Even though the government questions Hawass involvement in government before the revolution, Hawass is primarily responsible for bringing attention to ancient Egyptian artifacts and bringing the Discovery Channel to Egypt to make films regarding DNA testing and research on royal mummies.
Some estimate that more than 90 percent of people working in Luxor and towns like Bairat were completely dependent upon tourism. Local charities that provide aid to the poor are now struggling to assist the increasing number of needy due to losing many donors who are also greatly impacted financially to the decline of tourism.
According to NY Times author, Kareem Fahim, Tourism provides direct jobs for almost three million residents. More than seventy industries in Egypt receive critical income from tourism, and twenty percent of the state's foreign income is provided by the tourism industry. The explanation for the disappearance of Egyptian tourism is the incessant political unrest and the street violence that disrupts natives and tourists alike.
The state's fame for tourism nose-dived in 2011 with the revolution and fall of former President Hosni Mubarak. Within the last two years beach lovers have returned to the state, but there is no return of large spending, luxury holiday tourists.
Locals blame the media that appears to print only headlines regarding riots. These headlines exacerbate the problem and bring on fear among would-be travelers. Cairo is showing the biggest decline in hotel occupancy.
According to Fahim, rather than target Americans who cancel travel plans due to a media report on recent violence. Egyptian government officials and tourism proponents have spent time targeting Iran and India's travelers. Targeting a large Muslim crowd to travel to Egypt is a move that is controversial as ultraconservative Sunni Islamists promote warning Egyptians regarding Shiite Islam. The political strain is mounting.
In addition to the loss of tourism income, the state lost Zahi Hawass, the antiquities minister serving Hosni Mubarak. Hawass is being called to resign and is not met with hostility and suspicion in his ties to Mubarak. Hawass is a promoter of tourism for Egypt as National Geographic features his work regularly and pays him annually as a explorer in residence a sum of $200,000, according to Kate Taylor writer for NY Times.
Hawass has secured his position to date and still serves as cultural ambassador. However, the current Egyptian governments have called into question much of his income, financial endeavors, and activities. His ties to the Mubarak regime are still under investigation. Even though the government questions Hawass involvement in government before the revolution, Hawass is primarily responsible for bringing attention to ancient Egyptian artifacts and bringing the Discovery Channel to Egypt to make films regarding DNA testing and research on royal mummies.
Some estimate that more than 90 percent of people working in Luxor and towns like Bairat were completely dependent upon tourism. Local charities that provide aid to the poor are now struggling to assist the increasing number of needy due to losing many donors who are also greatly impacted financially to the decline of tourism.
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