Coronavirus cripples Egypt’s tourism industry
Some analysts fear long-term effects on Egypt’s tourism sector from the coronavirus outbreak.
In the Upper Egyptian city of Luxor, tour guide Eman Mohamed has sensed a notable decline in tourists over the past month, after the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“Coronavirus has really affected tourism here,” Mohamed said. “Many hotel reservations have been canceled and tourists can barely be seen at tourist sites.”
Since the mid-February announcement of the first infection of coronavirus in Egypt, the number of infected people has reached 196 in Egypt as of March 18, including 45 people onboard a Nile cruise ship between Aswan and Luxor, carrying French, American and Indian tourists. Six people have died so far.
Egypt announced the suspension of flights at all airports from March 19 to 31 as a measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
