Understanding attacks on tourists in Egypt

This article analyses the relationship between tourism and the terrorist attacks carried out by Muslim groups during the past two years in Egypt. The paper examines the relationship between Islam, hospitality and the notion of tourism - and finds that Islam does not reject tourism per se. However, the nature of tourism development in Egypt, and especially in Upper Egypt, has led to acts of violence by Muslim groups. In order to envisage the scope of the problem a profile of these groups is presented to assess whether tourists are the real targets of such attacks. The tourism industry, the government, the developers and the tourists are as responsible for this undersirable situation as the Muslim groups. Central to the argument is that violence is a reaction to irresponsible tourism development. Clamping down on the Muslim groups is damage limitation rather than problem solving. Terrorism in Egypt is an indicator of the problem rather than being a problem in its own capacity. © 1995.