I’m always amazed at how off people’s conceptions of Egypt are sometimes. Whether it’s in regards to ancient Egypt (which wasn’t even called Egypt, by the way) or the modern country (which also isn’t really called Egypt either, by the way), Egypt remains a land of contrasts, myths, misconceptions, and lots of surprises. Let’s start […]
Safety
Reflections on the Media and the Arab Spring in Egypt
When I was in Egypt in early January of 2011, only a few weeks before the outbreak of the Egyptian Revolution, everything seemed perfectly normal. The government seemed as stable as it had been for the past 30 years and there was zero indication that a revolution was about to happen. But just about two […]
Travel and Turmoil
Video from October 2012 when American cable news channels were still showing “turmoil” on loop for ratings and clickbait. Many travelers may be deterred from traveling to Egypt during periods of political turmoil. But not all turmoil is the same, and some periods when the news media are be portraying chaos in Cairo may actually turn […]
How Not To Handle A Tourism Crisis: Lessons From Egypt
NOTE: THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN THE HUFFINGTON POST TRAVEL SECTION. A LINK TO THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND HERE. Tourism ministries, boards and offices the world over are finally waking up to the reality that developing a substantive relationship with the American market can be an extremely lucrative investment. We are a nation of over […]
The Super Aggressive “Taxi Jumpers” at the Giza Pyramids
Unlike Europe and North America, many developing countries are better experienced with the helping hand of an experienced travel company or tour operator. This is especially the case for a country like Egypt, which continues to struggle with post-revolutionary challenges in the way of economics, infrastructure, and governance. Travel and tourism within Egypt has always […]
Is Egypt Safe for Tourism? Yes.
NOTE: THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN THE HUFFINGTON POST TRAVEL SECTION. A LINK TO THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND HERE. Egypt has had its share of problems over the past two years and the country continues to work to get its political house in order. During that time Egypt has remained safe for foreign tourists. With […]