Egypts tourist industry has had a rough time over the past couple of months, with most of the most popular tourist sites having closed for the duration of the protests.  Mercifully, the buzz that has accompanied the establishment of a fully democratic country has been a shot in the arm for their beleaguered tourism trade. Travellers from all over the world are flocking to feel for themselves the unique party vibe that can only be found in a recently liberated country. The lure of being part of history, of living through a new political dawn, is one that many visitors simply cannot resist. It is like being in Berlin when the wall fell, or in Czechoslovakia during the Prague Spring.
Of course, Egypt does not really need the post revolutionary party atmosphere to attract the tourists, as many of the most famous sights in the world are located there. For example, how many nations can boast a Sphinx, a Cheops Pyramid, or a River Nile? Egypt was one of the first great classical civilisations, where many of our myths and legends have come from. In particular, pop culture owes a massive debt, particularly the movie world. Amongst other things, Egypt is the land of parting of the Red Sea, and the Tombs of the Great Pharoahs. It is a land that fires the imagination of citizens from across the globe, whether they have visited it in real life, or only in their dreams.

The scale of the tourist industry in Egypt cannot be underestimated. At the time of writing, it is estimated to employ over two million Egyptian people, and is very vital to their economy. More than two hundred thousand visitors fleed the country during the recent revolution. On the other hand, away from the major cities of Alexandria, Luxor, Suez, and Cairo, there were no disruptions and many tourist attractions stayed open throughout. In fact, some rural attractions saw a marked upswing in revenues while the revolution was in progress, with more than a few opportunistic tourists capitalising on the rock-bottom holiday prices that were on offer at the time. Now that the country has stabilised again, the well known attractions such as the museums, the Sphinx, and the Pyramids, are busier than ever, with some of the highest visitor figures for years. Provided that everything goes according to plan, then Egypt is on track to be this years tourist sensation.



This article about Egypts tourist industry was penned by Pete Janus. For fantastic deals on Egypt holidays, visit the Thomas Cook web page.