The Guardian: Egypt to Fine People Who Pester Tourists

The Egyptian parliament has approved a law ahead of the summer tourism season seeking to clamp down on alleged harassers. As Ruth Michaelson observes for the Guardian, the law allows “authorities to fine up to EGP 10,000 (about £405) anyone found to be pestering tourists ‘with the intention of begging or promoting, offering or selling a good or service.’” Ultimately, this measure intends to protect the country’s “fragile but valuable tourism industry,” which makes up 12 percent of its economy. However, as Michaelson notes, the state’s perspective is hardly representative or even accurate in its proclamation. Quoting an unnamed Egyptian tour guide in Luxor, the law effectively targets people “fighting for food, fighting to feed their families.” Egyptian officials support strict fines and policing, floating the idea of fines up to EGP 20,000 and an accompanying prison sentence. Egypt’s tourist numbers fell from a high point of 14.7 million in 2010 as a consequence of the 2011 revolution and 2013 military coup. The numbers have shown signs of recovery as of 2017 – with 8.3 million as opposed to 5.4 million in 2016. –YaleGlobal