CAIRO — The crisis between Russia and Ukraine, with Moscow’s invasion on Feb. 24, has cast a shadow on the tourism sector in Egypt, which relies heavily on visitors from the two nations.

There has been a reported 30% decrease in tourism bookings from Russians and Ukrainians so far in February — even before the invasion, as tensions built while Russia amassed troops along the Ukrainian border.

Although, like other nations, Egypt saw a massive drop in tourist numbers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there were hopes for a revival as restrictions eased and flights from Russia resumed. The Red Sea coast has long been a popular tourist destination for Russians, but after a 2015 attack by the Islamic State's Sinai branch downed a Russian airliner headed from Sharm al-Sheikh to St. Petersburg, killing 224 people, Moscow suspended flights to Egypt. The ban was finally lifted last July, and Russia resumed its direct commercial flights to the cities of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheik in August. Government officials had predicted numbers to rise to 300,000-400,000 Russian tourists per month.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in a statement Feb. 23 that the Egyptian “government is currently studying the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis from various aspects,” without further elaboration.