Fancy a trip to the pyramids? Camel rides through the Tunisian desert? Or how about sightseeing in Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra? While some of these locations are still safe enough to visit, tourism in the Middle East has dropped in significant numbers since the beginning of the 2010 Arab Spring. Some might argue that the Middle East’s public relations needed a jolt after US and British forces attacked Iraq in 2003.
Whatever the case, thousands of Arabs rely on tourism for livelihood. Declining numbers make a significant dent in the economy. In Tunisia alone, up to 400,000 people work in the tourism industry, which makes up seven percent of the country’s GDP, according to Reuters.
Terrorist attacks are one of the prime reasons regional tourism is declining - Jerusalem was ranked seventh in a new report of cities facing “extreme risks” of attacks. Iraqi cities also made it into the top ten most dangerous places in the world for terrorism - might have to put that trip to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon on the back burner!
Or how about the recent seizure of Syria’s UNESCO world heritage site Palmyra by Daesh? With the rise of Daesh in countries such as Libya and Egypt, instability has paved the way for for turmoil - significantly affecting the tourism sector for the worst. Over one million Brits would visit Egypt every year, but again, numbers have dropped since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
Despite security concerns, there’s still plenty to check out in the Middle East! If you are planning to visit sensitive areas, best to check with your embassy for up-to-date travel advice.
