Travel and tourism companies in the UK have shown a mixed response to on-going Egypt demonstrations this week.
AITO urged agents and clients not to be worried about holidays in Egypt in the near future with some expected to run as early as 10 July.
The association said they were looking forward to the FCO lifting its current warning on all but essential travel to most of Egypt, although this is not in place for Red Sea resorts and South Sinai.
Cancellations
On the Go Tours said it expects tours to resume as normal from 10 July and is allowing cancellations or the option to defer to another holiday for bookings departing before Wednesday.
“We have 38 passengers currently in Egypt, with a customised plan for every client. We’re encouraging clients to defer, as we feel it’s important to support the local Egyptians and we look forward to resuming business as usual as soon as possible. Any tours beyond 10 July are going ahead as normal at this stage and we are monitoring the FCO Advice regularly,” said Pru Goudie, the tour operator’s head of business development.
However, Explore has announced it has cancelled six Egypt departures up to 5 October 2013. In what the tour operator called a “bold decision”, it has cancelled all its tours until October to “guarantee the safety of its customers and to give them as much time as possible to plan an alternative holiday.”
Customers will be offered a full refund or can transfer their booking to Morocco, Turkey, Croatia, Vietnam, Jordan, India or China.
The tour operator said it is yet to make a decision on when its tours could restart.
“The safety of our customers is of the upmost importance and we do not deem it safe to take them to Egypt during these turbulent times,” said Explore’s sales director Carl Burrows. “We thank agents for their cooperation during this time and look forward to working with them to find suitable alternative destinations for our customers.”
Positivity from Egypt
Despite the mixed response to the FCO advice in the UK, it appears those in Egypt are optimistic for change.
In a comment on Cruise News UK’s latest Egypt blog, Cairo travel industry member Amani Fouad said: “Please allow me to tell you that since this happened last night, Egypt is in a celebrative ecstasy never happened before. Streets are filled with cheering Egyptians everywhere.We believe this is the new start for a different era where Egypt will restore its glory and tourism will flourish again.”
Cairo-based ground handler Travellers, which looks after tourists for McCabe Pilgrimages said the country had been “given back safely”.
“What is happening in Egypt is a truly positive thing for the country and its local people. Egypt has been reborn – it’s far from an old fashioned military coup. It’s healing, it is restoration, it is innovation and it is unity,” said the company’s Yasser Zeid.
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