Tourists In Egypt Should Use Caution Safety Concerns Evident In Everyday Life

I was in Cairo in mid-April when Moslem militants murdered a group of Greek tourists, mistaking them for Israelis.

According to the Egyptian government, there have now been 34 victims of terrorism since an Islamic group targeted the Egyptian tourist industry in 1992.

Even before the attack, entrances to my Cairo hotel were guarded by security; suitcases and guests passed through metal detectors and roving security patrolled guest floors. At archeological sites from Aswan to Luxor, I saw no security except for white-uniformed Tourist Police in Luxor.

The Egyptian government claims the April tragedy was isolated.

“Most of the terrorist incidents in Egypt over the last few years have been in the El Minya region some 100 miles south of Cairo,” says Alistair Ballantine, the president of the worldwide tour operator Abercrombie & Kent. “This is an area where we never take tourists.

“We have several offices in Egypt and thus are able to up-date ourselves daily on security. We have handled thousands of clients through the years, fortunately without any incident.”

In fact, tourism is booming. Visits by North Americans were up 40 percent earlier this year. In all, Egypt hosted 3 million international visitors in 1995.

“We haven’t curtailed any Egyptian operations,” says William Dultz, president of TRAVCOA, an American-based tour operator.

“Because so much of Egypt’s foreign exchange comes from tourism, I’m confident the government will take whatever security steps are necessary.”

The U.S. State Department advisory (202-647-5225) urges citizens to avoid mosques during mid-day Friday prayers; to avoid hostile crowds; to keep abreast of local news; and to remain aware of surroundings. It further cautions against travel in the provinces between Cairo and Luxor.