Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
Or call 0345 90 80 161
27 January 2014 08:43
The Foreign Office wants tourists' stay in Egypt to remain peaceful by avoiding all demonstrations and large gatherings
British tourists visiting Egypt have been advised to "avoid all demonstrations and large gatherings" over the next few days.
The Foreign Office's (FO) call comes as Saturday, January 25 brings the third anniversary of the 2011 revolution which resulted in the toppling of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
The department said on its website: "A number of groups have called for demonstrations to mark the anniversary."
The FO added that protests and disruption to travel around Egypt are expected in the days before and after January 25.
It advised visitors to exercise special caution in the neighbourhood of government buildings. They should also avoid all protest and large gatherings, it added.
Tourists have been told to consider their travel plans carefully and look for information about disruptions prior to going. But the general travel advice to Egypt is otherwise unaltered.
So the message is better safe than sorry - and the same applies to holidaymakers considering travel insurance. This gives them peace of mind before travelling to even safe areas within countries experiencing political unrest.
The Egyptian government has assured its people that security forces are well equipped to handle any skirmishes on or around Saturday, reported Middle Eastern news website Al Bawaba.
The Foreign Office advice coincides with a reported big fall in last year's Egyptian tourist revenues.
But the outlook is rosier for Egyptian tourism this year, as visitors can take advantage of relatively uncrowded resorts, enticing offers and year-round fine weather.
Cairo-based Britons stressed that the situation in Egypt is safe if tourists take normal precautions.
Margot Arthur, who is due to begin work as an English teacher at the British Council in Egypt, told The Telegraph "I'd say it is perfectly safe - the FO wouldn't say so otherwise. It is particularly safe in Luxor and the Red Sea Resorts such as Sharm el Sheikh and Dahab."
Egyptian tourist revenues dipped 41% from the previous year to 5.9 billion dollars (£3.6 billion) in 2013.
Nile trip bookings plunged in 2013, while under a fifth of Luxor hotel rooms were occupied during the peak Easter season.
19 March 2019
Looking for adventure? Create your perfect Scandinavian weekend with these alternative city break ideas.
[more...]
Lower your blood pressure with these fresh, healthy foods you can add to your diet.
02 March 2019
A Flybe flight was forced to abort take-off due to the cabin filling with "smoke" while it was accelerating along the runway at Exeter Airport.
01 March 2019
Holidaymakers will soon be able to take advantage of the first direct flight from London to Scotland's Western Isles after Loganair announced three new routes.
28 February 2019
Over one in five women in the UK wrongly think a smear test can detect ovarian cancer, new research has revealed.
27 February 2019
One in 10 UK adults over the age of 40 is living with Type 2 diabetes, new analysis suggests - but the real figure could be much higher.
26 February 2019
British Airways has revealed the second of its series of retro liveries being recreated as part of the airline's 100th birthday celebrations.
23 February 2019
The price of a prescription in England is set to rise again, the Government has announced, in a move some campaigners have called disappointing.
22 February 2019
Just half an hour of exercise every morning could be as effective as drugs at lowering daily blood pressure, research suggests.
21 February 2019
A British man accidentally used the wrong passport to fly from Prague to the UK, leaving his friend stranded in the Czech capital.
19 February 2019
Hundreds of passengers have had their travel plans cancelled following the collapse of airline flybmi.
16 February 2019
Holidaymakers were left fuming after a "lack of clarity" over Brexit led a Romanian airline to cancel flights from Liverpool's John Lennon Airport.