Jordan Times
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Tourist industry awaits
fallout from Sinai attacks
By Dalya Dajani
AMMAN — While most tour and travel agencies in the Kingdom have been unaffected
by the recent terror attacks in the Egyptian Red Sea resorts, others have
registered cancellations from the United States and Europe.
One tour operator dealing with inbound tourism from the US and Europe told The
Jordan Times, on condition of anonymity, that he was already `feeling the pinch'
of the attacks on his business.
“We had a cancellation from a package tour group of 36 British nationals as well
as 38 Americans who were expected this week and they were pretty adamant about
it,” said the source.
The British tour group, meant to visit Petra via Egypt, cancelled their trip
just hours after the attacks in the Sinai.
Friday's blasts at the Hilton Hotel in Taba, near the Israeli-Egyptian border
and the Egyptian resort towns of Ras El Shetan, and Dahab, popular with Israeli
holidaymakers, claimed 40 lives and wounded hundreds of others.
The incident sparked concern among various tour operators in the region that the
already fragile tourism sector, resulting from regional instability, would
suffer a further blow.
While some travel agents believe the impact may be limited to inbound tourism
from the US, and to a lesser extent Europe, the situation appears to be one of
“wait-and-see.”
Jennifer Howes, general manager of Jordan Sinai Hotels and Tours, said she
regarded the fact that her business has so far received no cancellations “a
positive sign.”
“So far there haven't been any cancellations but other travel agents in Amman
have told me they are definitely expecting lower numbers,” said Howes.
Howes deals largely with package tours from the US, Japan and more recently
Russia, working closely with tour operators in Sharm El Sheikh.
She told The Jordan Times business had only recently picked up from the global
tourism slump following the Sept. 11 attacks.
“We hope this incident doesn't affect incoming tourists as it's taken us years
to recover since Sept. 11,” said Howes.
Ali Rawashdeh from Blue Bird Tours said the attacks in Sinai may well deter
European travellers. His business, however, has so far not registered any
cancellations.
“Nothing has happened yet, and in fact we've just sent off a tour group to Sharm
El Shiekh, but one doesn't know if that will change if more developments occur,”
said Rawashdeh.
Others tour operators in the capital held the view that the Sinai incidents may
somehow shift business from the Sinai to Aqaba.
Nael Shamroukh, tour coordinator at Darna Tours, which deals largely with
inbound tourism from the Far East, said he believes business would not be
affected.
Shamroukh said tour groups from the Far East are usually undeterred by reports
of terrorist attacks in the region and continue to visit in high numbers.
“Those from the Far East do not shy away from the region as do those from Europe
and the United States,” said Shamroukh, adding that “many still travel to
Jerusalem despite the ongoing violence.”
Another travel agent that deals with markets in the US, said it was still too
early to determine the impact of the attacks in the Sinai on bookings. Wael
Dakkak from Dakkak Tours said, “although its too early to judge, I believe it's
unlikely that we will see any cancellations,”
“I also believe Egypt, which has shown strong resilience to tourism-related
crisis in its own country will be able to bounce back from this incident,” he
added.
The Kingdom witnessed a 30.8 per cent increase in the number of tourist arrivals
in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2003, according to
figures from the Ministry of Tourism. In 2003, the tourism sector generated
JD60O million.