Published on : Sunday, March 2, 2014
After the tourist bus bombing in Taba and latest threats from al-Qaeda, Italy’s foreign ministry on Friday issued a travel warning on Egypt before the Easter holiday, when Italians flock to Red Sea resorts.
The advisory includes holiday resorts throughout the Sinai Peninsula including Dahab, Nuweiba, Sharm el-Sheikh, and Taba, which have long been Italian favorites.
The advisory requests Italians not to start ”unnecessary travel” to Egypt, except for destinations ”in tourist areas in Upper Egypt, the continental coast of the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean coast”, including the resorts of Hurghada and Marsa Alam.
However, holiday travelers are recommended to rely on professional tour operators.
Other EU nations informed their tourists to leave the land of the Pharaohs, organizing charter flights to bring them back home.
The Italian foreign ministry said on its safe travel website, that Egypt has ”a climate of instability and turbulence that often causes serious security problems.
This ongoing and difficult transition phase confirms the possibility of terrorist hostile actions throughout the country.”
On February 16, a suicide bomber boarded a tourist bus carrying a group of South Korean Christian tourists on route to Israel near Sinai’s Taba border crossing, which killed three of the tourists and their Egyptian bus driver, and more than 15 others were wounded.
According to the Egyptian tourist board, Last year there was 30% drop in Italian influx, which totaled 504,110 in 2013.
While the counts are lower, they are a testament to the fact that Egypt, its history and the natural beauties of its Red Sea coast continue to be a great attraction for Italian tourists.
Tags: Travel Events News
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