Correspondents in both Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh have confirmed to Divernet that the country’s coastal resorts remain peaceful but much quieter than normal, even for a time of year which is not the busiest for sea-orientated Egyptian holiday packages.
At both Egyptian and British ends, a push is on to make travel to the country as enticing as possible.
In the main, however, British divers never went away. Charter flights from the UK have remained consistent, contrasting with suspensions of air services from some other parts of Europe.
Unlike some European governments, the British Foreign Office advised only against travel to major conurbations, not coastal areas.
“The UK flights never stopped, and the [other] EU countries have said it is okay to travel to the Red Sea resorts again and many have started sending guests,” Emperor Divers told Divernet yesterday.
“We’ve operated every day since 25 Jan and have been taking bookings.” In terms of food, fuel and other supplies, “all the hotels etc report no shortages of anything”.
“The whole tourist organisation in Egypt is working to make the country look attractive,” said the company.
“Government has dropped fees, hotels are doing offers and dive centres are reducing prices a bit. Price reductions are more than usual, but only for a short time.”
Regaldive concurred, confirming that British diving clients continued to take their holidays. And those who book now are being offered prices that are “lower than usual”, even by the standards of low-season promotions.
“Hotels are okay and supplies are normal,” said the company.
Oonasdivers, too, reported that all systems were operating normally, with divers the winners in terms of discounts available.
“All of our clients who had pre-booked holidays before the protests took their holidays, and now there are some good discounts,” it said.
Journalist James Dawson, who works in Egypt for Aziab Media, has told Divernet of the Facebook-organised ‘I Love Egypt’ street party held in Hurghada on Valentine’s Day.
It had been “a thank you to the predominantly British tourists that are still visiting Egypt and a call to other nations that the situation is back to normal and safe to return”.
“The recent impact on the tourism industry has been felt throughout the country and thousands of jobs are dependent upon people returning to Egypt in the wake of the uncertainty since demonstrations began on 25 January,” he said.
“The celebrations in Hurghada were a clear signal to the rest of the world that Egypt is still open for business and is keen to welcome back the millions of visitors that come each year.”
Egypt’s Chamber of Diving and Watersports (CDWS) has described the situation as “an incredible opportunity to dive the Red Sea”.
In a statement this week, it said: “The current restrictions on flights from a number of countries has resulted in the resorts along the Red Sea coast resembling the ‘old days’.
“Divers in the Red Sea are enjoying empty reefs, quiet jetties and some rare sightings for these warm and sunny February days. Reports of rays, dolphins and reef sharks are now a daily occurrence.
“Now is the time for divers to take advantage of some great offers whilst diving operators in the Red Sea adjust to the major changes the events of the last month have brought upon them.”
Excepting Britain, which had maintained flight schedules, “more and more flight routes” were being re-opened.
German and Dutch foreign offices, for instance, had “lifted their restrictions on flights into the Red Sea resorts”.
Related links
Red Sea resorts are quiet
Egyptian diving tourism continues
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