Image via Shutterstock
Discover Egypt is reassuring agents Luxor and the Nile are safe to visit as it puts its Ultimate Long Nile cruises back on sale after a travel ban affecting the centre of the country was lifted.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office changed its advice for ‘middle Egypt’ – an area between Cairo and Luxor – on November 26, a move which reopens access to the lower part of the River Nile.
Discover Egypt’s Long Nile Cruises span the 600 miles from Cairo to Aswan, with four itineraries, and have been reintroduced for 2015.
Philip Breckner, director, said many travel agents were still wary of sending clients to parts of Egypt such as Luxor and on the Nile.
“The general feeling among agents and in the press is the Red Sea is okay but the Nile and Luxor are more dangerous, which is a misnomer.
“The areas are associated with Cairo because operators traditionally combine them and agents are thinking back to the problems in Cairo last summer. The fact is there have been no major problems in Luxor or the Nile since 1997.”
Breckner said general awareness of safe travel to Egypt was not helped by confusing travel advice on the Foreign Office’s website. “I feel the advisory is confusing to the public and agents,” he said.
Last year’s travel ban on Cairo, which included Luxor, was put in place from July 3 until November 2013.
Breckner said agents also questioned why some operators were not operating flights to Luxor, assuming it meant there was a reason not to go, rather than being based on commercial reasons.
The operator’s direct business is holding up but trade business has suffered, added Breckner. The operator traditionally gets 50% of its sales from the trade but Breckner said this had “halved”.
“I don’t expect every agent to be proactive but they don’t need to be negative. They need to understand the geography. We are still getting good direct business but agent business is down.”
He stressed good value deals were on offer, such as £200 off seven night deluxe Nile cruises, down to £799.
“The prices are very good. I am optimistic it is picking up now, slowly.”
The operator has one Nile cruise a week, with flights on Egypt Air. its Long Nile Cruises offer nine, 12 and 14 night itineraries in the footsteps of the Pharaohs, visiting sites such as Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Temples of Karnak, Pyramids and Sphinx. The nine-night cruise on May 1 starts in Luxor and finishes in Cairo, costing £1,899 per person, including flights, transfers and excursions.