Tourism officials in Egypt’s South Sinai region have expressed concern over business after a Russian jet crashed in the region last week prompting many governments to halt flights to and from Sharm al-Sheikh.
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About 10 percent of bookings were canceled on the day of the crash, Gafy said, and the number jumped to around 40 percent after Britain and Russian Federation suspended flights into Sharm al-Sheikh.
President Sisi said no effort would be spared to ensure holidaymakers’ safety but the impact on Egypt’s crucial tourism industry is already being felt, with Britain’s and Russia’s decision to suspend flights set to cost the country a few 260 million euros a month according to Egyptian Tourism Minister Hesham Zaazou. According to him, it’s impossible for Egypt to radically change the security system in a short time.
British and USA officials have suggested that the plane had been downed by a bomb.
A team of British officials made an emergency inspection that night and found weaknesses which led them to flights to Sharm el-Sheikh being suspended indefinitely. “For how long – I can not really say, but I think that for several months, minimum”, Sergei Ivanov, the head of the presidential administration, was quoted as saying by RIA news agency on Tuesday. Moscow said the ban was necessary because of concerns about security at Egypt’s airports.
“I was not anxious about flying out as I have been in Sharm El Sheikh twice before and it is an absolutely handsome place, and they are still sending out planes to bring people back home”.
Egypt is one of the most popular destinations for Russians, especially in the winter when the sun and clear seas lure them away from gray, frigid weather.
Scores of tourists have also accused security officials of playing the computer game Candy Crush, smoking cigarettes and even falling asleep while on duty.
Hammond speculated that if the plane was brought down by a bomber, it could have been the work of the Islamic State’s central organization in Syria, an affiliate of the militant group based in Sinai, or a lone attacker, possibly inspired by ISIS.
The Egyptian team investigating the crash told Reuters on Sunday they were “90 percent sure” the noise heard in the final second of a cockpit recording was an explosion caused by a bomb, as was reported by Ynet.
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The Ministry said it was working closely with airport operators, airlines, holiday companies and “the relevant worldwide authorities to assist all tourists who are now waiting to return home to the United Kingdom and Russian Federation from Sharm el Sheikh to do so”.
