The once jam packed Sharm El-Sheikh tourist resort in Egypt has been left looking like a ghost town as British holidaymakers leave in their droves following the Sinai plane crash last week.
Business in the area has taken a significant hit following the tragic events and new photos show the extent of the issue, with tons of deserted shops, restaurants and bars left in the resort as countless Brits make their way back to the UK.
Officials are now concerned that Egypt’s tourism economy may not recover if holidaymakers continue to turn away in their thousands and don’t return to the resort in the near future.
Adviser to the Minister of Tourism, Mohamed Yousef said:
Russian tourists are ranked first with three million tourists per year. British – one million. Their leaving is a severe blow for the industry. The loss will be 70 per cent of the tourist influx.
Thousands of Brits are currently stranded in Sharm El-Sheikh as they await flights back to the UK.
Easyjet have warned that the fleeing holidaymakers could face waits of three to four days because of the heightened security measures imposed after the Russian plane came down last Saturday, killing all 224 passengers on board.
It’s fair to say things are pretty chaotic in Sharm El-Sheikh at the moment and, over the weekend, rescue planes sent to evacuate stranded Brits from Egypt were actually forced to turn around mid-flight.
Almost 5,300 holidaymakers have returned home since flights recommenced on Friday, with 1,936 departing from the resort on eight flights yesterday.
