Egyptians outraged at plans to leave best beaches to tourists
Egypt has a bad record when it comes to tourist harassment, but keeping locals out of beaches in Alexandria may not be the best way to prevent it.
A government plan to promote tourism in Alexandria — Egypt's second-largest city, which is located on the Mediterranean coast 140 miles northwest of Cairo — has sparked controversy among the city's residents and holidaymakers. The plan, unveiled in recent days by Ali al-Manesterly, the chairman of the Alexandria Chamber of Travel Agencies, includes allocating private beaches exclusively for foreign visitors.
"It's insulting and deeply disturbing," Amro Ali, an Alexandria-based sociologist, said in reference to the decision. Denouncing the plan as "a form of auto-colonialism,” Ali told Al-Monitor that Alexandria was already losing its beaches due to rising sea levels and privatization. He added, "The few remaining public beaches are not well-kept, and citizens still have to pay to get in. The few good beaches that exist charge a lot of money and are beyond the means of the average Egyptian, so there is already a class barrier in place."
