Tourism in Egypt's South Sinai affected by Hamas-Israel conflict: official

About 20 percent of tourists have canceled their reservations in South Sinai, a province that is home to some of Egypt's most popular tourist destinations, since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict due to concerns over the spillover of the violence, an Egyptian tourism official said on Wednesday.

"The Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip, which erupted on Oct. 7, has had a considerable impact on tourism in Egypt, particularly in the South Sinai towns of Taba, Dahab, and Sharm el-Sheikh city," said Hussein Mohamed, supervisor of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities offices in South Sinai province.

"The province, which accounts for 32 percent of Egypt's total tourism bookings, used to be a popular tourist destination for Israelis, but since the conflict began, all flights from Israel to the area have halted," he noted.

Mohamed noted that once Egypt restored its reputation as a safe tourist destination, European cancellations would decrease. In addition, Egypt seeks to lure tourists from the Gulf states who prefer to spend their vacations in Türkiye, he added.