Once more… the day after…
Todays’ emotions and reactions in El Gouna
Wondering about how life in El Gouna continues just one day after the bombs in Sharm El Sheik…?
El Gouna Times sent out some E-mails to get an overall impression. Here below we publish excerpts of sometimes quite emotional answers we received today …
With our sympathy to the innocent victims and their families.
M.A.:”… My friend lives in my appartment at Golf West, but is afraid, especially for the flight back home, afraid for possible incidents at the airport…”
T.S.:” …Four friends of mine planned to fly tomorrow to El Gouna, but they have cancelled their trip…”
M.S.:”…strong road checkpoints, more police in the streets, less places where one is allowed to park his car…”
M.G.:”… the locals at El Gouna are not at ease, as they know what happened after 9/11. It is a bad thing for Egypt, and I think there will be less of tourists in future, but people do forget quick, or at least act if….
I will come to El Gouna again end of August…”
A.N.:”… if less people will come to visit, it might be a lesson however for responsible people who ignored complaints…”
K&G:”… As I understand, tourist reactions are quite mixed : some cancelled or switched to other destinations, but a lot of them will decide anyhow for their long planned visit to Egypt.
Personally I think there will be a loss for tourism in Egypt, but probably not so bad as it was in 1997 or in 2001, but anyway, a remarkable loss. Our own plans will not change, and we will move to El Gouna starting this September…”
D.S.:”… It is really terrible what happens right now. Of course the employees are very concerned about their jobs, because they will be the first to have to leave. We received first cancellations already. One of the hotels reported yesterday already 28 cancellations. But as a matter of fact, everybody is waiting for Monday, because it happened during the weekend and the travel agencies are closed during the weekend. We all expect a backdrop for the tourist industry. Emotions are very low. Not only with us, but also with the Egyptians….”
C.M.:”…Of course, here in El Gouna it is the only item being discussed today. Checkpoints have been intensified, cars are no longer allowed to park next to the buildings. I know that this will not be enough, and I hope situation will stabilize again soon.
Everybody here expects however a loss for the tourist sector, but it is still too early to put a figure on it. I myself will stay at El Gouna, El Gouna is a much to nice place to leave…”
N.F.:”…In Sharm we will see a huge drop! But as far as I can see, we do not suffer at all in El Gouna. We have more bookings then ever tomorrow, so until now it looks really good for El Gouna….”
J.S.”…I was not planning to come back to El Gouna until next year when my apartment is finished - but I might try and come sooner. The chances of dying in a car accident are much higher than in a bomb blast. Besides, you cannot let these people win, and let us make no mistake they are murderers, not martyrs. We have been plagued by terrorism for years in the UK but we must get on with our lives and not let them win. WE ARE NOT AFRAID…”
July 25th, 2005 at 15:17
I was not planning to come back to El Gouna until next year when my apartment is finished - but I might try and come sooner. The chances of dying in a car accident are much higher than in a bomb blast. Besides, you cannot let these people, and let us make no mistake they are murderers, not martyrs, win. We have been plagued by terrorism for years in the UK but we must get on with our lives and not let them win. WE ARE NOT AFRAID. Jenny Salter.