Egypt has long been a popular choice for British travellers, but Israel’s attack on Iran and the strikes that followed have raised concern over its safety as a holiday destination.
Egypt welcomes hundreds of thousands of tourists from the UK each year, with coastal resorts like Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh luring visitors with affordable prices and all-inclusive deals.
The country’s popularity took a hit in 2015, when a terror attack on a Russian passenger plane killed all 224 people onboard shortly after take-off from Sharm el-Sheikh airport.
The Foreign Office ordered Egyptian authorities to overhaul security, which they did. But now conflict between Egypt’s regional neighbours threatens the tourism it relies on once again.
How far is Egypt from Israel?
Egypt’s Sinai region borders Israel and the Gaza Strip, but most of the country’s major tourist destinations are much further south, along the Red Sea.
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Sharm el-Sheikh, the closest resort, is over two-and-a-half hours’ drive from the nearest border town.
The Egyptian capital, Cairo, as well as ancient favourites such as Luxor and Alexandria, are even further away.
Is is safe to travel to Egypt?
While the UK Foreign Office has been warning about travel to some parts of Egypt (more on that below), most of the popular tourist spots are still considered safe.
Holiday companies and airlines continue to operate, but if that changes, we’ll update this explainer immediately.
What is the Foreign Office’s general travel advice for Egypt?
In terms of what’s happening in Gaza right now, the Foreign Office warns that international borders between Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories could close without notice.
You should keep up to date with local news updates and check official travel advice before trying to cross.
The Foreign Office advises against all travel to the North Sinai Governorate.That’s around five-and-a-half hours’ drive form the Israeli border.
El-Arish, the capital and largest city of the North Sinai region, was the starting point of the Global March on Gaza, which aims to pressure world leaders to end Israel’s war on the Palestinian enclave. Last week, Egyptian security forces have clashed with activists, with reports of some being pulled off the road as they staged a sit-in.
We’ve got a map of the full route that you can see here.
Elsewhere, the Foreign Office advises against all travel to within 20km of the border with Libya, which is on the western side of Egypt, far from Israel and Gaza.
The only exception in that region is the town of El Salloum, where the Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel.
That guidance also applies to the Hala’ib Triangle, the northern part of the South Sinai Governorate (except for coastal areas), the Ismailiyah Governorate east of the Suez Canal, and the Western Desert, except for a number of areas.
These are the ones most tourists will want to know about:
- Luxor, Qina, Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings
- the coastal areas between the Nile Delta and Marsa Matruh
- the Giza Governorate north-east of the Bahariya Oasis
Can I claim a refund for my holiday if I don’t want to go?
Package holidays to Egypt are still operating as usual, and, because the Foreign Office has not advised against travel, there is no prospect of being able to cancel for a full refund.
Travel insurance is unlikely to help, either. Insurers will argue there is no reason not to go.
If FCDO advice changes to advising against all travel, you can cancel a package holiday without penalty for a full refund.
Airlines have cancelled a number flights to Dubai and Doha in Qatar since Saturday, but routes to Egypt have not been affected, at least not yet.
What is happening in Israel and Iran?
In the early hours of Friday, Israel launched an unprecedented strike that targeted Iran’s nuclear and military sites.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon that posed an imminent threat to Israel.
Iran, for its part, insists it doesn’t want nuclear weapons. Israel is widely acknowledged to have nuclear weapons, though it has never publicly confirmed it.
In the early hours of Sunday, Donald Trump ordered US strikes on three of Iran’s key underground nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz and Esfehan.
Seven US B-2 stealth bombers dropped some 30,000 pounds of bunker-busters, while Trump openly mulled overthrowing the Iranian regime.
That move, which was made without passing through Congress, has dragged the US into war.
Have other holiday destinations been affected?
In an update on the Foreign Office pages for several destinations, the UK warns that ‘ongoing hostilities’ have the potential to ‘deteriorate quickly’.
They are:
- The UAE (including Dubai and Abu Dhabi)
- Qatar
- Kuwait
- Bahrain
- Oman
- Saudi Arabia.
Travellers are also concerned about the conflict spilling over to Cyprus, Turkey and Jordan.
As it stands, the Foreign Office guidance for Turkey – which was last updated on June 4 – advises against all travel to within 10km of the Syrian border, due to fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism.
You can read our full report on travel advice for Turkey here.
We’ve also got a detailed explainer on Cyprus and what’s happening on the ground there.
Meanwhile for Jordan, the Foreign Office reiterates the risk of ongoing hostilities in the region between Iran and Israel.
It says travellers should monitor local news channels and follow the instructions of local authorities. If you hear air raid sirens, the guidance says you should take shelter and stay away from windows.
Before you travel, the Foreign Office advises you to contact your airline and, if you have one, your travel insurer.
