After massive financial losses in the tourism industry in 2020, the Egyptian government threw extravagant made-for-TV events into 2021 to attract new international visitors. But a rising swell of critics say the glamor did little to bring more desperately needed jobs and revenue to the people who work in the industry. For VOA, Hamada Elrasam has this photo story. Captions by Elle Kurancid.
In Photos: Highs and Lows of Egypt’s 2021 Effort to Boost Tourism
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Government officials accused "extremists and drug abusers" of sabotaging these train tracks, prompting fears among international and local tourists., in Banha, April 18, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)
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An art exhibit at the Great Pyramids of Giza, the first of its kind, shows works by Brazilian artist João Trevisan and other artists, in Giza, Oct 21, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)
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Flames consume a floating Nile restaurant, Aug 8, 2021, in Cairo. The blaze was reportedly caused by a short circuit during a heatwave. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)
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Workers who lost their tourism-related jobs say Egypt’s “New Administrative Capital,” a sprawling multibillion-dollar city under construction east of Cairo, has created some work for their struggling sector, Oct 24, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)