Due to a plane crash in Egypt’s Sinai region on the 31st of October, flights were suspended to Sharm El Sheikh international airport. To date, UK carriers, such as Thomas Cook and Thomson, have cancelled all flights until the beginning of December, with future flights under review after that date.
If you’ve been planning to, or have booked, a trip to Egypt in the coming months, you may be wondering what this means for you. While the FCO (The Foreign and Commonwealth Office), advises against all but essential travel to North Sinai, South Sinai and the area west of the Nile Valley and Nile Delta regions, this warning exempts the actual resort area of Sharm el Sheikh, which remains peaceful under upgraded security.
The security measures in the Red Sea resort areas include security forces at the international airports and at check points around the towns. Police are also carrying out vehicle checks in the towns.
The warning against all but essential travel also doesn’t apply to the tourist areas along the Nile River, including Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings, or the resort of Hurghada.
As the situation continues to change, it pays to monitor the FCO site closely for recent developments and contact your airlines, tour companies and travel insurance providers for relevant information pertaining to any upcoming travel to the region.
General Safety In Egypt
For the most part, Egypt is a safe country to travel to, providing you stick to the tourist areas marked safe by the FCO. Egyptians are friendly and welcoming by nature and, considering the country relies heavily on foreign tourism for national income, they’re very enthusiastic about providing tourists with exceptional experiences.
As for petty crime, such as pickpocketing and scams, like most tourist areas across the world, it’s a possibility. However, as with all travel, taking simple precautions generally suffices. This includes keeping all valuables in a locked backpack, avoiding putting your wallet in your back pocket, exercising caution when dealing with non-licensed locals with regard to tours and packages and generally remaining aware of your surroundings.
Dedicated tourist areas, such as the perennially popular Sharm El Sheikh, are specifically designed for travellers, with ample security measures in place and a wealth of facilities to make your holiday a stress-free and positive experience. It’s extremely easy to book trips and tours, the service culture is professional, courteous and polite and the vast majority of tourists have a culturally rich, relaxing and smooth holiday.
Featured image source: (c) istock/thinkstock
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