20110206
xinhua

CAIRO, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Hossam sat idle in his souvenirs shop watching television. For these days, he had no business at all.

Hossam's shop is just near the Giza Pyramids, west of Cairo. But the spot has been closed since the beginning of the nationwide protests on Jan. 25.

Most of the shops here have been closed except for a few tea bars, where locals sat and talked about the country's unrest. Several military tanks on the road leading to the major door of the tourist area tells the situation is still not normal.

"No tourists, even Egyptians," Hossam said, sort of worrying. " Without security, there will be no foreigners."

"I just do not want to stay at home," said 27-year-old Hossam. Before the protests, his shop reaped an average revenue of some 2, 000 Egyptian pounds (about 344 U.S. dollars) a day.

Most of the tourist sites in Egypt, including the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, were closed after the protests broke out.

As a key revenue of Egypt, tourism contributes to about ten percent of its gross domestic product and one fifth of its foreign exchange earnings. In the 2009-2010 financial year which ended last June, the country's tourism revenue hit 11.6 billion dollars. In 2010, the country has been predicted to gain 13 billion dollars of tourism revenue.

However, the mass protests have already no doubt dealt a temporary heavy blow to the pillar industry of the country, due to security and stability concerns, with the evacuation of foreign tourists, personnel and citizens by many countries and international organizations.

Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman said on Thursday about one million tourists flew out of Egypt in the first nine days of the protests, causing losses of about one billion dollars.

"All the tourists sites in the south were closed," said Abdel Salama, tourist manager of Bouark Tourism Company in Cairo. The company's 20 staff have to stay home and has nothing to do.

For the past ten days, the company had no business. A large number of tour groups had been cancelled. It is a golden tourism season in January and February, especially for travel to the south as the weather are so mild.

Normally, the company could host 3,000 to 5,000 tourists a month in this period of the year.

"You can not imagine how bad it is to us," said Ahmed Moussa, a tourist guide with the company.

With no tourists, now he works as a volunteer to guard the security of a hotel which hosts many foreign journalists covering the event, near the Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, the epicenter of the unrest.

"It is a big circle and tourism is so important to Egypt. Without tourists, souvenirs shops, bazaars, hotels, taxi drivers and guides will all be affected. Our economy is directly affected, " Moussa said.

Moussa said the government had already met most of the demands of the protestors such as the dissolution of the previous government and amending the constitution. He felt puzzled why people continued their protests.

"Some have gone back home, but many still insist on the immediate resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, so what after that?" he said, uncertain about the nation's future.

Moussa said the country might well fall into chaos if Mubarak leaves office right now as different political groups will strive for grab for the top seat.

"If things continue like this, I will have no money to pay for my bills, apartment rent and food," said Moussa, who has to support his brother and parents.

He estimated it would take at least six months to a year for the country's tourism industry to restore to normal.

"Because of these protests, I lost my job," said Mahmed, another tourist guide said. "I know the previous government is not good. But I should also point out that in such cities as Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria and Sharm El-Sheikh, two to three million youths have lost their jobs due to the unrest."

Days of protests and riots in some places have left dozens dead and some 5,000 injured. Political changes have taken place with the dissolution of the former government, appointment of vice president for the first time in decades, and the pledges to carry out more political and constitutional reforms and the resignation of the executive leadership of the ruling National Democratic Party.

"Tourism has been affected in the short term. In the long term, the impact will depend on the stability of Egypt which will come with Mubarak's departure," said Nagla Rizk, a professor at the American University in Cairo, who apparently is unsatisfied with the government. However, She declined to estimate the exact damage to the country's economy.

Protesters still gathered in the Tahrir Square on Sunday. A night curfew remained in effect. But sense of normality and order has emerged. On Sunday, some banks in Egypt resumed their business. More and more shops and market reopened, and the bakeries begin to supply fresh bread.

"I hope that one day when I wake up, I will never see any protesters on the streets and everything is normal," Moussa said. "Just pray for God!"