Red Sea coral reefs benefit from drop in tourists
The shores of the Red Sea in Egypt have long been attractive to Russian tourists because of their rare coral reefs.
CAIRO — Despite the losses of Egypt's tourism sector due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, environmental experts see this as a blessing in disguise. They have long warned of the damage commercial tourism is doing to Red Sea coral reefs.
The coral in this region are famous for their ability to adapt to the rising temperatures in the sea. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Red Sea hosts about 350 different coral species and is “one of the most sensitive biodiversity hubs remaining globally.”
Activities such as snorkeling and diving next to the coral reef spots have been attracting millions of tourists, mainly from Russia, over the years. However, these practices threaten the corals' ecosystem and expose the reefs to the risk of bleaching and eventually disappearing.
