Egypt's tourism boost risks ruining country's beaches forever, campaigners warn

Independent

15-04-2025

A battle is brewing on Egypt 's Red Sea coast, where a pristine beach faces potential development within a protected national park.
Ras Hankorab, a jewel of Wadi el-Gemal National Park known for its untouched marine ecosystem, is currently closed off, its future hanging in the balance.
Located 90 minutes from Marsa Alam airport and four hours from the bustling resort of Hurghada, Ras Hankorab boasts crystal-clear waters and white sand beaches.
However, original plans propose transforming this natural haven with accommodation huts, a restaurant, and a farm. Conservationists are raising the alarm, warning that development threatens a fragile ecosystem supporting turtles, coral reefs, sea grasses, and diverse fish species. Local communities also fear the permanent loss of this precious natural resource.
Egypt, grappling with economic challenges, has been selling investment licenses within its national parks to stimulate income. Tourism represents a cornerstone of the Egyptian economy, with a recent UN report estimating annual tourism revenue at $14.1 billion in 2024, surpassing even Suez Canal revenues.
While Egypt welcomed 17 million visitors in 2024, a 17 per cent annual increase, the government sees potential for further growth.
By expanding infrastructure, improving air connectivity, and promoting sustainable coastal and desert tourism, Egypt aims to compete with regional tourism giants like Turkey (62 million visitors), Greece (35 million), and Dubai (18.7 million).
The question remains whether this economic drive will come at the cost of irreplaceable natural treasures like Ras Hankorab. Environmentalists and local communities warn that even light construction on the beach would destroy one of Egypt's last untouched marine sanctuaries.
Asmaa Ali, executive director of Ecoris, an Egyptian sustainable development and conservation group, said the national park and beach is one of the world's most important spots for biodiversity.
"It has one of the most precious coral reefs, located at the reserve's beach. It also has sea turtles at risk of extinction, it has mangrove trees," she said.
Sherif Baha el-Din, a co-founder of Wadi el-Gemal national park, said tourists seek unspoiled nature, not concrete resorts.
"The more development on the Red Sea coast, the more important it becomes to leave this small part untouched," he said. "If we must develop, let's talk about where. But the best thing to build here is nothing at all."
The Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association (HEPCA), an NGO, notes that the reef is so significant because it is one of the world's most tolerant of climate change, and has the potential to repopulate other reefs and even bring back some from extinction.
Over the past decade, changes to the law have allowed spots within Egypt's national parks to be used for commercial projects. Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad said projects within protected areas including national parks surged from 10 in 2016 to 150 in 2024, with revenue increasing by 1,900 per cent.
Egypt's Environmental Affairs Agency initially offered the operation of Ras Hankorab for tourism use to investors, albeit under strict conditions. However, responsibility has now moved to a government fund, the minister said in a recent presentation on Wadi el-Gemal. She declined to comment further.
Worried conservationist groups have filed an appeal with a state prosecutor, alleging development is not meeting protection laws and would damage a public resource.
Locals say they have been sidelined. Many once made a living from low-key eco-tourism but are now effectively barred from the beach.
"I used to take my kids there for free. Now, I have to pay 250 Egyptian pounds ($5) just to enter," said Mohamed Saleh, a tribal elder. "They didn't consult us. They didn't hire us. They just took over our land."
Fouad and other Egyptian officials argue that eco-tourism and investment can coexist. She defended development of the beach and Wadi el-Gemal as a "controlled expansion," ensuring sustainability while attracting revenue.
Her ministry will monitor and evaluate the proposed projects in sensitive areas, including Ras Hankorab, Ras Boghdady, and the world-renowned diving spot the Blue Hole, she said. However, critics see the ministry as lacking the resources for that.
Egypt has lost environmental expertise due to low wages and limited resources, conservationists say. In 2007, Wadi el-Gemal had 20 wildlife specialists monitoring biodiversity. Today, there are only a handful, said an NGO member.
The Environment Ministry and the State Information Service did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
"This [development] completely undermines the idea of eco-tourism. How does handing over protected land to private investors align with conservation?" said environmental lawyer Ahmed El-Seidi.