Egypt saw an all-time high of 14.9 million arrivals last year, according to recently released figures from the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, but industry workers say between the economic crisis and the Israel-Hamas war, the industry is suffering. Photojournalist Hamada Elrasam follows the story across Upper Egypt, from Luxor to Aswan, and beyond, with words by Elle Kurancid.
In Photos: Economic, Regional Instability Pose Challenges for Egypt’s Tourism Industry
- By Hamada Elsaram
- Elle Kurancid
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Domestic sightseers tour the ancient city of Luxor by horse carriage, following last year’s record-breaking traffic from abroad, which Egypt’s tourism ministry says surpassed the 2010 peak of 14.7 million arrivals, in Luxor, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2024.
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Inbound tourism is a foreign currency lifeline for Egypt, especially amid severe economic troubles that predate the war in Gaza and consequent 50% loss of vital Suez Canal revenues, at Abu Simbel Temple complex, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2024.
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Tourists from Taiwan pose for a group selfie inside the ancient Abu Simbel complex, a longtime UNESCO World Heritage site with two towering rock-carved temples, near the banks of the River Nile, Abu Simbel, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2024.
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At the heart of the recent Sun Festival is the biannual phenomenon where the rising sun illuminates the statues of the larger temple’s inner sanctuary, including the face of its maker, King Ramses II, in Abu Simbel, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2024.
