Egypt’s Tourism Minister, Hisham Zaazou, says the country will take further precautions to ensure the safety of its tourists after a recent attack at a Red Sea resort.
Three international tourists – two Austrians and one Swede – were left injured late last week when two men carrying knives and pellet guns entered the restaurant at the seaside four-star Bella Vista Hotel.
Police were quick on the scene, taking down one of the attackers while wounding and arresting the other.
All three wounded tourists were taken to hospital. One victim was treated and discharged within hours.
The attack follows a string of terror-related incidents in Egypt since 2011, including a similar event one day earlier, where one man who claimed to be an affiliate of the Islamic State entered a resort hotel in Cairo near the Giza Pyramids. No one was injured during the incident. It follows last year’s attack on a Russian airliner, which was downed over the Sinai Peninsula, killing 224 people on board.
With tourism being one of the most critical components of the Egyptian economy, Zaazou said the country will take further steps to ensure visitor safety.
“The welfare of the tourists visiting Egypt is of the greatest importance to us and will continue to be so.”
Hisham Zaazou, Egypt Tourism Minister
“No stone will be left unturned to ensure their security.
“Over the coming days we will announce even greater security measures to safeguard all tourists visiting Egypt.”
Meanwhile, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) continues to urge Aussie holidaymakers to reconsider their need to travel to the destination due to “ongoing political tension and the threat of terrorist attack and kidnapping”.
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