46 CultureShock! Egypt
When you are in Egypt, it is impossible to avoid or ignore
the role tourism plays in the economy. Tourism and its effects
are seemingly everywhere. Although only 263,600 workers
are estimated to work directly in tourism, the downstream
effects are felt throughout the population, with the possible
exception of the small-scale traditional farmers. From
hawkers to tourist buses to taxi drivers to bank clerks, almost
everyone seems to be affected by the hordes of foreigners
visiting Egypt each year. Tourism slackened substantially in
the early 1990s due to adverse reactions to terrorist activity,
but this pattern reversed beginning in 1995.Tourist Attack
On 17 November 1997, local criminals carried out the most serious
and horrendous terrorist attack against tourists ever perpetrated in
Egypt. This event occurred on the west bank of the Nile across from
Luxor at the site of Queen Hatshepsut’s tomb. Six gunmen, dressed
in police uniforms, rampaged through the ancient site brandishing
automatic rifles, hand grenades and knives. The semi-official
newspaper, Al Ahram, reported that 42 Swiss nationals, ten Japanese,
four Britons and four unidentifi ed foreigners were killed along with
several Egyptians. Among the Egyptians killed were the gunmen
who perpetrated the crime. (For more information on Terrorism, see
the section further in this chapter.)Five-star cruise ships dot the Nile waiting for their passengers. Tourism is a
cornerstone of the Egyptian economy.