Trouble in Hurghada

Join the blog Hurghada Residents. Local Hurghadians are trying very hard to get out the news that it is safe in Hurghada.

It is safe here.

Hello

Many thanks for that information.

You are more than welcome beloved.

There has over recent weeks been some trouble - and one dead I believe!

foxnews.com/world/2013/08/16/egypt-tourism-faces-meltdown-as-security-fears-mount/

The unbiased report here should help, Tim

westerndailypress.co.uk/Pensioner-Fran-Rossiter-killed-robbers-Egypt/story-19419745-detail/story.html

Egyptian sources are very good at keeping things reasonably quiet.

Hi  Tim

Many thanks for that information.  Most helpful.

Hi,

The reason why things are 'quiet' in Hurghada, apart from tight security, is the lack of political interest of local population made up by bedouins, rural people from the south and tourism workers who do not want to lose their jobs. Furthermore, Hurghada is geographically isolated, and it is far more difficult for political groups to mobilise a mass protest.

The security risk in the Red Sea Region and Sinai, is different front he rest of Egypt, as it might become target of attacks aimed at damaging the tourism industry. Travellers should also consider that crimes such as theft or burglary are on the increase due to current financial crisis.

Desert trips and unnecessary travelling should be avoided. You should anyway keep your eyes well open for possible signs of threats, and be cautious of overly friendly people.
Many hotels have cancelled excursions and tourists have been told not to 'venture' outside the resort 'boundaries'.

Affirming that Hurghada is totally safe, is in my opinion, a bit naive. The country, and the entire region is experiencing major turmoil, the situation is extremely fluid and hardly predictable.

I travel to El Gouna every day from El Kawser to work. I always feel safe but every morning my husband tells me the same thing "attention"
By that he means just be aware of everything around you. He has also banned me from taking a taxi anywhere as in times like this foreigners are the target of some taxi drivers... to take you into the dessert and rob you
So my opinion is that Hurghada is relatively safe but there are still problems here and also demonstrations are still on going in  Hurghada, albeit small ones
I agree with my husband.... pay attention at all times when you are out and about

Tigerlily3103 wrote:

I travel to El Gouna every day from El Kawser to work. I always feel safe but every morning my husband tells me the same thing "attention"
By that he means just be aware of everything around you. He has also banned me from taking a taxi anywhere as in times like this foreigners are the target of some taxi drivers... to take you into the dessert and rob you
So my opinion is that Hurghada is relatively safe but there are still problems here and also demonstrations are still on going in  Hurghada, albeit small ones
I agree with my husband.... pay attention at all times when you are out and about

I agree with you wholeheartedly!

Thank you so much for all your information

It's more than safe

now as per my friends there, it is normal like before!

Hello,

   Been living here for 6 months but going home this week, main problem seems to be petty crime, we watched two pickpocket teams work the street outside our favourite bar.... two tourists fleeced within 15 minutes.. normally lots of police around this particular junction but not this day.. and as mentioned above stories of dodgy taxis are doing the rounds…. But on the other hand we went with Egyptian friends to a coffee shop at the very crossroads where there have been demonstrations, on a Friday night…. No sign of any problems…..  the issue is more that Hurghada is out of tourists…… many, even most of the hotels are closed, the dive centres are closing down.. restaurants won’t have the turnover of customers to keep up standards…

Bit grim really.....

Hi  Peteregypt

Many thanks for your feedback.  It is a shame that the tourist trade has suffered because of this.

I am coming out to Hurghada next month and i can see that i will have to be careful.  Hurghada always used to be safe to walk out  even late at night, but I guess not so many police now as there used to be.

You say you are going home this week - where is home?  England?

Thanks again

Yes, England.    Our dive centre is on the beach used by 3 large hotels, two are shut and the remaining one has only 5% occupancy. The dive centre used to have a boat going out every day, it dropped to two last week, and no one knew what was happening until the day before… now there are none.  We found a German run dive centre still operating but they wanted three times price were we paying…. 
 
so time to go....

It is really very sad for all the people that live here.... I have been told that a German Minister (tourism I think) has just visited here to see if it is safe... also I am told several European airlines will commence flights again in about 2 weeks. I have a friend that works at the Grand Hotel and she is on unpaid leave atm but they are expecting German tourists to begin arriving again in the coming weeks... I hope this is true as it is sad to see the closed businesses just in Sheraton Street as I go to work each day let alone elsewhere in this area

I'm coming over in Nov/Dec. Poor Hurghada businesses and workers. I hope very much the tourists come back sooner than later

LOL I found you without trying.  I just joined this site too and having fun browsing.  I hope to visit your family soon.

hi Tigerlilly, just wondering how things are now. Have businesses reopened? Have things come back to normal a bit? I'm very close to coming to live in Egypt and would like to come around the Red Sea at least to visit then maybe stay longer.
thank you
Rhona

Hello,
All I will say is.... After the second "coup" Hurghada shut down, it wasn’t a great place to be.... we decided that we didn't want to and didn’t need to live like that... so we left, that was in September 2013...  This means of course we haven't got a clue as to how things are now… but what we saw was a rise in petty crime.. if you can call taking a tourist in the desert and killing him/her petty…. No police and lot’s of pick pocketing and increased hassle levels …. For what it’s worth, that was our experience, I wish I would have worked for us but I have to say  I am glad to have got out….
…… All the tourists that were going were all inclusive and staying in their hotels….  Anyway….. if you know the place and know the issues and can deal with it all fine…. Maybe things are better now, but you are right to ask….. it was just getting to the wrong side of comfortable when we fled….

Peter

Things are very good here now. Most of the hotels have had a great season with many having 100% occupancy. Many tourists stay in their hotels but Mamsha and Sheraton Street have had a big increase in tourists. I would say it is pretty much back to 'normal'