Egypt’s Alexandria to set up tourist only beaches

Egypt is to set up beaches which can only be used by tourists in an effort to encourage visitors and make them feel more “comfortable”.

The controversial plans have been met with anger from locals who believe they will be locked out of the country’s best shores.

“It’s insulting and deeply disturbing,” Amro Ali, an Alexandria-based sociologist, told Al-Monitor. He added that Egyptians have already been priced out of the majority of beaches: “The few good beaches that exist charge a lot of money and are beyond the means of the average Egyptian, so there is already a class barrier in place.”

Ali Al-Manesterly, chairman of Alexandria Chamber of Travel Agencies, announced the plans late last month after Egypt signed an agreement to promote the Mediterranean city in Greece, Cyprus and Italy.

Under the plan, direct flights would be established to Alexandria and the city’s Borg El Arab Airport would be expanded to allow for greater passenger numbers.

Read: Egypt’s Sisi, facing online backlash, says country is on the ‘right track

Egypt’s tourism industry has been struggling in recent years due to the instability that followed the 2011 uprising.

The sector was hit once again in 2015 when a Russian plane crashed near the Sharm El Sheikh holiday report killing all 224 people on board, Moscow halted all flights to the resort following the incident. South Sinai governor Major General Khaled Fouda said in 2017 that the tourism sector in Sharm El Sheikh had lost $4 billion in the two years following the crash.