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Tourists damage Egyptian treasures
The parade of coach-parties and cruises is literally wearing away the fabric of Egypt’s fabled monuments, says a meeting of Egyptologists held in London recently.
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“Tourists are scuffing walls with their bags and wearing away the paintings and colour; the humidity caused by the crowds’ breath and perspiration is also causing terrible damage,” said Michael Jones of the American Research Centre in Egypt.
“The time has now come to begin a detailed study of the damaged caused to Egypt’s sites,” added resident Egyptologist Gaballa Ali Gaballa. “Above all we must work with the tourism industry to raise awareness and seek solutions. We all gain from tourism but seeing the damage it is causing makes you feel very sorry indeed.”
Egypt makes £3.2 billion from tourism annually; head of its Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Zahi Hawass, estimates they should spend £100+m a year to preserve and protect its irreplaceable heritage.
Tourists (some of whom you can be sure don’t take in the sites or have more than a hazy idea why they’re there – sorry, but it’s true) destroying the place they come so far at such expense to see... It’s one of the biggest problems at the heart of Sus Travel, it requires something of a change in the way people consume leisure travel, and it’s something we’ll be coming back to time and time again, you can be sure...
“The time has now come to begin a detailed study of the damaged caused to Egypt’s sites,” added resident Egyptologist Gaballa Ali Gaballa. “Above all we must work with the tourism industry to raise awareness and seek solutions. We all gain from tourism but seeing the damage it is causing makes you feel very sorry indeed.”
Egypt makes £3.2 billion from tourism annually; head of its Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Zahi Hawass, estimates they should spend £100+m a year to preserve and protect its irreplaceable heritage.
Tourists (some of whom you can be sure don’t take in the sites or have more than a hazy idea why they’re there – sorry, but it’s true) destroying the place they come so far at such expense to see... It’s one of the biggest problems at the heart of Sus Travel, it requires something of a change in the way people consume leisure travel, and it’s something we’ll be coming back to time and time again, you can be sure...
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