THE ongoing Iran crisis has resulted in a number of new travel warnings for some popular holiday destinations.
Here is everything you need to know about a holiday to Egypt right now.
Is Egypt safe to travel to?
The tourist resorts of Egypt are currently safe to travel to which includes Sharm el Sheikh, Marsa Alam and Hurghada.
There are some parts of Egypt which the UK Foreign Office advises against travelling to.
All travel to the the border of Libya is banned, as is the area near the Israel border.
All but essential travel is in place in other areas of Egypt, including:
Read more on travel advice
- Northern part of South Sinai
- Eastern part of Ismailiyah Governorate
- Western Desert
However, the tourist resorts as well as Cairo – home to the pyramids – and Luxor are still safe to travel to right now.
Do keep an eye on the travel advice, as it can change at short notice.
They warn “there is a heightened risk of regional tension. Escalation could lead to travel disruption and other unanticipated impacts.”
Are flights to Egypt affected?
Flights to Egypt have not been affected by the Iran crisis.
Brits travelling from the UK to parts of Egypt on the safe list are not being affected.
Some flights from the Middle East to Egypt, such as from Dubai to Doha, are still being disrupted.
However, this wont affected anyone travelling to Egypt from the UK.
What if I have a holiday to Egypt booked?
Package holidays to Egypt are currently unaffected by the Iran crisis.
As Egypt is deemed safe to travel to, tour operators are not obligated to give you a refund if you decide to cancel.
You will be left out of pocket if you decide not to travel to Egypt.
Some cruise companies have cancelled upcoming routes out of caution due to the ongoing conflict.
Viking has cancelled its Nile River cruises until the end of March, along with Avalon Waterways.
And Intrepid has cancelled all Egypt trips up until the end of March.
The Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot explains: “It is very understandable that travellers would be a little nervous of the proximity of Egypt to the current crisis.
“However, Hurghada and Marsa Alam are hundreds of miles away from the conflict zone and holidays there should not be impacted at all.
“I had tipped Egypt as one of the stand-out destinations for British travellers to enjoy 5* luxury at great value prices this year.
“I travelled to Luxor, Hurghada and Marsa Alam in February and could not have felt safer with the Egyptians taking security very seriously.”
Lisa also answered all of your other holiday and travel questions here.
