High risk to Britons in Egypt

[Deleted User]

rusty_frog wrote: »

You should go!
We, like Pattycake were in Makadi Bay at the end of Feb/early March 2011 when there were riots on the streets of Cairo.
The Russian and German Governments stopped their people going and there were only Brits and a few Dutch there.
We were treated like Royalty.
There are no unemployment benefits in Egypt so both the staff and management really appreciated us being there.
Although hotels were nowhere near full, there were enough of us to keep most of them going.
Trouble?
Absolutely none!

This,of course,is blatant nonsense.Neither the Russian or German governments have stopped their citizens going anywhere.
What they have done is issue the same warnings the Foreign Office and every other government has issued - that based on intelligence reports they believe there is a HIGH risk of a terrorist attack in the area.
It is up to the individual to decide whether to take note of the warning.
Of course Sharm is open for business as usual and the Egyptian authorities are keen to play things down to protect its tourist industry and naturally people will report back on here that they have enjoyed an excellent holiday.
But that doesn't make the increased risk any less valid.Potential terrorists are hardly likely to parade around with placards indicating they intend to inflict death and destruction.
And people have quickly forgotten that 88 people were killed in bomb attacks in Sharm only seven years ago.
God forbid that anything should ever happen but if it did and this government was found not to have warned people based on intelligence it had I wonder how many of the very same posters on here would be among the first to complain ?

PompeyPete

Have the FCO advised against all but essential travel to Sharm?
No!
So what's your problem Tom, or are you simply trying to do the job of a terrorist and put the fear of God into people? Fear is what terrorism is about, and you do seem to be trying very hard.:mad:

[Deleted User]

PompeyPete wrote: »

Have the FCO advised against all but essential travel to Sharm?
No!
So what's your problem Tom, or are you simply trying to do the job of a terrorist and put the fear of God into people? Fear is what terrorism is about, and you do seem to be trying very hard.:mad:

My dear chap you really must stop working yourself up into a tizzy.
As I said in my previous post it's up to the individual whether they wish to visit Egypt or not and holidaying in challenging countries can often be very enjoyable.
But in much the same way as you weigh up the risk of,say,travelling to an area rife with malaria or dengue fever so you ought to with Egypt.
To quote the FCO:

" There is a high threat from terrorism throughout Egypt. Although security is tight throughout the country, especially in resort areas, there remains a high risk of attacks, which could be indiscriminate, including in public places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers such as hotels and restaurants. "

So, it's not a heightened risk but a HIGH risk.

And within the past year specific threats against tourists travelling to Sharm have been made by Islamic extremists.
I have no doubt they're capable of carrying out such attacks.

All I'm saying is the fact that people are still holidaying in Sharm where all appears to be calm does not negate or decrease the serious warning posted by the FCO.

PompeyPete

Deleted_User wrote: »

And people have quickly forgotten that 88 people were killed in bomb attacks in Sharm only seven years ago.

And what happened in London on 7 July 2005, only 7 years ago? There are still the same number, if not more nutters around in UK capable of a repeat performance. But that hasn't stopped, or impinged too much on the millions still visiting London.

Deleted_User wrote: »

God forbid that anything should ever happen but if it did and this government was found not to have warned people based on intelligence it had I wonder how many of the very same posters on here would be among the first to complain ?

They have warned people though! So as you say, it's up to the individual whether they travel, and there is always some risk wherever you want to dip your toes. But at the moment Sharm is considered safe enough, and for the vast majority of people who've been recently, or are there now, they've had a great time, hosted by some of the friendliest people you could ever hope to meet.

[Deleted User]

PompeyPete wrote: »

And what happened in London on 7 July 2005, only 7 years ago? There are still the same number, if not more nutters around in UK capable of a repeat performance. But that hasn't stopped, or impinged too much on the millions still visiting London.


They have warned people though! So as you say, it's up to the individual whether they travel, and there is always some risk wherever you want to dip your toes. But at the moment Sharm is considered safe enough, and for the vast majority of people who've been recently, or are there now, they've had a great time, hosted by some of the friendliest people you could ever hope to meet.

None of which I have disagreed with in any of my posts.
But Sharm is only considered safe to a certain degree because it is in a country at a HIGH risk of terrorist attack in a part of the world where it is common.
I'm at a loss to understand why you're getting so hot under the collar simply because I'm re-iterating expert advice from our own Foreign Office.
It seems fair enough for people who might be thinking of holidaying in the area and read this thread.

vegasvisitor

We were in Egypt in late January 2011, we arrived the day before the uprising began. We were there for a week. While there the Germans and the Belgians went home, and no more arrived during that week. Maybe the words used were a bit strong, but certain nationalities were certainly flown home and with no more arriving, so the advice given by the governments of different countries was in fact different. We spoke to a Belgian guy who was being removed in the middle of a 3 week trip, his tour operator was flying him home with the option of going to turkey for the remainder of his time. We were given no option of flying home during our trip, and other Brits arrived. There was no trouble, so it was not necessary, but different countries definitely did have different views on sending tourists to Sharm back then.

jt25

Just got from hugharda today no problems .

PompeyPete

Deleted_User wrote: »

I'm at a loss to understand why you're getting so hot under the collar simply because I'm re-iterating expert advice from our own Foreign Office.

And tbh I'm at a loss why you think I'm getting so hot under the collar. I've just got back from a thoroughly enjoyable trouble free week in Sharm (Na'ama Bay), and a week cruising.
So I'm feeling totally relaxed.

[Deleted User]

PompeyPete wrote: »

And tbh I'm at a loss why you think I'm getting so hot under the collar. I've just got back from a thoroughly enjoyable trouble free week in Sharm (Na'ama Bay), and a week cruising.
So I'm feeling totally relaxed.

Jolly good show, I'm pleased to hear it.

You seem to have calmed down from the post where you used an angry, red-faced smilie.

MrsE_2

pulliptears wrote: »

Just got back and Sharm is business as usual. No protests, no trouble at all.
We were told by a friend we met there last time that the Egyptians would fight to protect the tourists in Sharm because its their livelihoods at stake and they need us to keep going.

With that in mind we went buggy driving and quad biking in the desert and it was great. I think in all honesty I have felt more unsafe in my local town than I have in Nabq this last week.

I really like Egypt/Sharm & I've been this year (I wasn't put off).
However I really doubt that to be true.
If civil unrest broke out in any of the tourist resorts in Egypt, I can't see locals fighting THEIR own to protect tourists - nor would I expect to see that anywhere in the world.