The decision also does not apply to public and tourist establishments in South Sinai, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada or Marsa Alam. Nationwide, grocery stores, supermarkets, fruit and vegetable shops, bakeries, pharmacies and tourist-licensed restaurants and cafes at airports, seaports and train stations are all exempt, too.
Before the new rule was introduced, tourism in Egypt had already been impacted by the US-Israel-Iran war. Maged Salib, managing director of tour operator Anubis Travel, says all of its North American clients cancelled their March and April trips. But for those who do come, the early closure is an inconvenience.
Salib says he often takes his tour groups to a show at the Cairo Opera House or a whirling dervish show in Khan El Khalili. “Now, everything must finish by 8pm or 8.30pm, so you have to choose between dinner or a night out,” he says.
“If it extends for more than a month, it will affect the travellers coming to Egypt mainly from the Gulf, because they are the biggest spenders and they are the ones who like to stay out late,” he adds.
Coupled with the drop in tourist numbers, the early curfew has already taken a clear toll. Mourad Sami, managing partner at Abou El Sid, which has three branches in Cairo, estimates a 30 to 40 per cent decline in revenues. “What can we do? It’s a force majeure,” he says. “Hopefully, it will not be extended.”
In Khan El Khalili itself, where cafes and shops typically come alive after dark, the impact is just as pronounced. “We all respect and support our government’s decision, but Khan El Khalili is at the heart of tourism and the heart of Cairo,” says Ashraf Attia, general manager of Naguib Mahfouz Café. “We used to close at 1am and most of our business was at night… We hope that it will be a few weeks and it will be over.”
This article was first published by Condé Nast Traveller Middle East.
