People worldwide can and must support the rebellion in Egypt by loudly declaring a boycott on tourism there until a new democracy is formed. by Joel S. Hirschhorn
(libertarian)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
President Mubarak totally disappointed rebellious Egyptians and most of the world in his latest speech that defined the unique opportunity for tourists and the tourism industry worldwide to hit the Mubarak regime where it hurts, namely the Egyptian economy by a global tourism boycott of Egypt. Mubarak is either insanely delusional, a chronic liar, or pure evil. The courageous Egyptian people need visible global support.
Now is the time to send a clear message that there will be no renewal of tourism in Egypt until there is crystal clear evidence that a true and honest democracy has been created. The US government and other nations should immediately issue official rulings that make it impossible for their citizens to contemplate any travel to Egypt for the foreseeable future. Major businesses connected to tourism should do likewise, issuing strong statements that all forms of travel and tourism are being ended until the revolution in Egypt succeeds in throwing the Mubarak regime into the trash bin of history.
Make no mistake about it. Tourism is critical for the Egyptian economy that sustains the Egyptian plutocracy. In 2010, nearly $11 billion in revenue was generated when 14.7 million tourists visited Egypt, reports the Egyptian Tourist Authority in New York. That number is about 11 percent of the total gross domestic product for the country. It is a critically important source of foreign currency. The sector employs about 12 percent of Egypt's workforce. In my experience working in Egypt a number of times those figures probably underestimate tourism spending. Because so much of the spending is part of the underground, cash economy such as money spent on guides, taxis, goods and souvenirs in small stores and from street vendors, and food in restaurants. Tourists also were generous with the ever present street beggars.
Before the eruption of the massive demonstrations against Mubarak, experts predicted Egypt's growth would be second only to Qatar in the region. However, forecasts have since been revised downwards: from the 5.4 percent originally anticipated this year to growth of only 1 to 2 percent.
Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman said recently that about one million tourists flew out of Egypt in the first nine days of the protests, causing losses of about one billion dollars.
Consistent with the apparent delusional thinking of Mubarak is that officials at the Egypt Tourist Authority at this critical time have predicted a quick recovery for the national tourism industry following the current political turmoil. Now the world must send a clear message that the "mass departure of tourists" the agency has acknowledged in recent weeks will definitely not be quickly reversed.
A tourism boycott is critically needed to support the rebellion in Egypt. Egyptians sacrificing so much would surely welcome a thunderous tourism boycott. Ordinary people can do what the US government has been reluctant to do, namely give unequivocal support for the revolutionaries in Egypt fighting for their freedom and democracy. No freedom and democracy, no tourism! Of course without tourism Egyptians suffer, but we must remember that even when tourism flourished most Egyptians were suffering economically. And they have mounted their rebellion knowing that they would be hurt financially. They think in terms of the longer term, and so must we.
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Posted By: ummsalma
Date: February 11, 2011 04:01:35 AM
This is an alarming article, and certainly how NOT to support Egyptian people. Without a shadow of a doubt or exaggeration, the very large majority of Egyptian people rely on tourism as their main source of income. Egypt is vastly and densely populated (around 84 million people, and they can only inhabit 6% of Egypt's land due to the majority of it being barren, infertile desert) and there just would not be the jobs to support an Egyptian population bereft of tourism. How do I know that? Because I live here in Egypt and am one of a whole town of people who entirely survive on the tourism industry. This article is irresponsible and inconsiderate in its rallying cry for a boycott that will only directly hurt the people it aims to support. Do you think Mubarak would be affected directly and moved to leave? No. During his time in power many, many things have threatened and quietened the tourism industry and did it cause him to budge or notice any deficit whatsoever in his own situation? Do you think this is a man who cares about the suffering of the people of Egypt?
Posted By: LohanMasr
Date: February 11, 2011 05:47:56 AM
Dear Joel S Hirschhon - If you seriously think this is a responsible action and display of compassion and support to Egypt and its people, to encourage millions of people around the globe to boycott Egypt Tourism at a desperate time of need...then Joel S Hirschhon you are delusional and totally lost on how to help a nation and the Egyptian people at our time of need! What you propose will only add further suffering to an already bad situation. Who ever thought boycotting a country when we are already suffering was an act of care and support for its people... I say a crazy and very delusional person/people. Joel if you want to help, which I hope is what was originally at the route of your proposal, then you will rethink your actions and realise that your proposal is not helpful, as a result I urge you to pull this proposal of boycotting Egypt out of the public realm, and consider a better more humane initiative which truly supports Egypt and her people.
Egypt needs every last tourist that she can get on the ground right now, without which millions of people will suffer, and already are – worried, anxious, no money coming in, no food to feed the family. Already the country is suffering great loss and turmoil....the revolution can continue and so can tourism without self confessed hero’s dreaming up such damaging protests and boycotts! Did you ever know of any boycott that really helped a situation...if you think that will change the situation now you are wrong...In the meantime Egypt is a safe place to travel to and I urge all who read this invitation for Boycotting Egypt to BOYCOTT JOEL’S REQUEST and to really contemplate the further damage it will inflict on Egyptians....it truly is a dangerous and damaging idea. Just like Ummsalma who has commented before me above, with whom I agree that this is HOW NOT TO HELP THE EGYPTIAN PEOPLE. I too live in Egypt with my Egyptian family, in a town whose existence relies sole heartedly on tourism....Joel and any of you who are considering his invitation to be a good initiative I dare you to ask the Egyptian people if they would appreciate this kind of support, I say dare, because they would be outraged, horrified and 100% against the boycott of Egypt, potentially viewing you as someone who does not love Egypt, a group who are not sincerely grasping the effect that the current situation is already having. I know the majority of the Egyptian people would not welcome this boycott and potentially would perceive you as an enemy of the Egyptian people not a friend. Please think about it and understand this is NOT the right action. Have you lived in an era where the town that you live has ran out of food, fresh produce, water and petrol. Where the banks are closed and the cash machines are empty or on rations, no cash to buy products from the shops where prices are already exceeding your usual financial budget?? I think not, if you had you would be urging tourists to continue to flock to the land at this anxious, uncertain and troubled time. Because tourists continue to visit a country amidst a revolution, does not mean they do not care about the political situation – their presence allows the country and the economy to still grow (we are talking about the needs of the people not the needs of the government right now – the needs of the ‘little people’ on the ground and their daily physical existence). Read the news reports, and see the many groups that have formed from the very womb of the Egyptian people urging and pleading for the tourists to continue to visit their great land...without the tourist people will struggle more than they already are or need to. Children and families will have no food on their table and no money to pay for medical care, jobs will be lost, and businesses will close and in the end their will be no future to fight for. We want Egypt to rise and have a wonderful bright and promising future, we don’t want her to fall ....if you love and respect the people of Egypt we urge all of you reading this thread to PLEASE BOYCOTT THIS DANGEROUS AND DAMAGING INITIATIVE WHICH IS DANGEROUSLY INVITING YOU TO BOYCOTT EGYPT - THIS IS IS NOT THE ANSWER....This is an initiative that can only be dreamt up by a person/people who are not directly affected by this situation, who will after adding their name to such a damaging initiative, smile, pat themselves on the back feeling satisfied that they are ‘doing their bit helping mankind’ in this case the Egyptian children, youth, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, grandmas and grandfathers, brothers and sister, nephew and nieces etc. They will then walk out of their comfortable home and secure existence as they step into the street after eating a breakfast feast, with a full tummy, a job to go to, and a fat pay packet at the end of the month, and then hop on a plane to an already booming and successful holiday destination, [B][B]BY BOYCOTTING EGYPT YOU ARE TURNING YOUR BACK ON THE PEOPLE YOU THINK YOU ARE HELPING!!!! PLEASE CONTINUE TO VISIT EGYPT...WE NEED YOU AND ARE WAITING FOR YOU. VIVA EGYPT, VIVA REVOULTION, And VIVA TOURISM IN EGYPT THE GREAT LAND OF HOSPITATLITY, HISTORY AND LOVE.............
Please show your support to the Egyptian people by joining this group and spreading the world that the Egyptian sun and its hospitable people are waiting to welcome you. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198442786833817¬if_t=event_wall#wall_posts[/B][/B] - Lyndsey Ayah Williams
Posted By: Joel S. Hirschhorn
Date: February 11, 2011 09:00:27 AM
Are the two comments from Egyptians from people directly involved in the rebellion? Are they protesters? Are they committed to ending the Mubarak regime? Let us remember these very important facts: even when tourism flourished in Egypt the vast majority of people there saw very little money in their pockets because most spending by tourists ends up in the pockets of the corrupt and rich followers of Mubarak; also note that tourism has already ended in Egypt and the official government line is that tourism will soon recover because the powerful and corrupt (including senior military officers) there want their economy to recover to maintain their wealth. Missing from these comments is the brutal reality that it will take quite awhile for the world to see absolutely strong and irreversible actions that build and guarantee a real Egyptian democracy, and tourism must wait until that development is reached. Tourism boycotts have worked in the past in various situations. Now we must see a tourism boycott for Egypt as a political statement and tactic that aids and supports the revolution there and fights the tyrannical regime still in control of that nation. If anti-Mubarak citizens are willing to strike and stop working in their jobs, as well as risk their lives by engaging in street protests, then it is crystal clear that they are willing to pay the high price and suffering that a fight for freedom requires. Let us beware of those rich pro-Mubarak people who do not want actions by others that support the revolution.
Posted By: Joel S. Hirschhorn
Date: February 11, 2011 09:25:52 AM
I just took the time to check out and research that Facebook page given above in support of tourism. I see no anti-Mubarak sentiments expressed; it is aimed at getting tourists back now. One of its creators owns a tourism business and the other is English. We must be careful to recognize that there are millions of Egyptians that have shared the wealth of the corrupt Mubarak regime and are not like the street protesters you see on TV or read on social networking sites.
