Egypt’s tourist sites are known throughout the world. But these days, people are not lined up to see the Great Pyramids of Giza. Foreign visitors are not filling bus after bus for a ride to the Great Sphinx. Locals say the tourist industry, like others in Egypt, has been flat.
Ahmed Alaa makes traditional boxes and games out of wood and othermaterials. He says business has been bad since the 2011 revolution.
“So actually before the revolution we were working very much. And therewere many tourists in Egypt. But after the revolution we feel very, very badbecause the economy in Egypt - it’s not only the tourist [industry] - everythingis damaged and everything [has fallen] down.”
President-elect Abdel Fattah el-Sissi’s ideas to improve the economy werealready in play before the votes were counted. The government plans to cutaid programs and reduce the national deficit. But economic experts warn that this plan could cause more unrest.
Mr. Sissi has called for sacrifices from the Egyptian people. To help theeconomy recover, he suggested they eat less food, walk more and use lesselectricity. The president-elect says that under his leadership, Egypt'seconomy will improve greatly within two years.
But human rights workers watching the situation closely say two years is toolong. Some predict Egyptians may take to the streets in protest again.
Mr. Sissi will be the country’s third president in three and a half years. Theother two were ousted after popular protests. Mr. Sissi has been leadingEgypt since the army jailed former president Mohamed Morsi last July. Thousands of people have been killed or arrested since then. Most of thosedetained are accused of having ties with the Muslim Brotherhood.
Even with years of social and political unrest, many Egyptians are willing tosacrifice for their country. Ahmed is a craftsman. He earns less than $150 amonth. And he says he can live with some sacrifices.
“We need to work more, and we need to give Egypt more because we canchange the life, different than now.”
He says that he hopes some tourists will return to his market now that a realpresident in power again.
I’m Anna Matteo.
