Holiday giants deny cuts to Egypt holidays while cruise lines continue to …

By
Jo Tweedy

PUBLISHED:

05:05 EST, 29 August 2013

|

UPDATED:

04:49 EST, 30 August 2013

Two of the country’s biggest holiday operators have denied that they will significantly cut back their holiday programmes to Egypt for 2014 as a result of the current tension in the country.

Thomas Cook and TUI Travel have both dismissed the idea that Egypt, traditionally a popular winter sun destination for both operators, will face ‘big cuts’ in the coming months.

Sphinx And Khafra Pyramid

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A report in The Times suggested that the companies were planning to radically reduce the number of holidays to the Middle Eastern country. The newspaper said: “Britain’s leading operators are making big cuts to the number of
packages to Egypt next year amid mounting concern over the rising tide
of violence. Tui Travel and Thomas Cook… have reduced the number of
packages to Red Sea resorts.”

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Unchanged: British tourists can still travel to resorts in the Red Sea, says the FCO

Nile cruise boats

River cruise companies have been amongst the hardest hit, with many cancelling trips

A spokesperson for Thomas Cook said that the situation was unclear and no firm decision had been taken to scrap holidays, saying: “Obviously we are looking at it, but it’s still something we’re assessing.”

The British government continues to advise against ‘all but essential travel’ to all of the country except the South Sinai Red Sea resorts, meaning British tourists are still free to holiday in destinations such as Sharm El Sheikh.

French and German governments are taking a harder line on safety issues and their tourists have been advised against travel to the Red Sea resorts.

This week, another handful of cruise
ships cancelled planned trips to the country including Nile River
cruises. Cruise Critic said that US liners Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises had both grounded trips planned for the remainder of this season and all of next.

UK cruise ships have also cancelled trips with Thomson Cruises and Cruise
Maritime Voyages both altering itineraries to avoid Egypt. River
cruise companies including Avalon Waterways and Viking River Cruises
have changed plans too, with the latter cancelling all trips for the
remainder of the year.

A spokesperson for Viking River Cruises, Ian Jeffries, said passengers were calling to change plans but that they would reassess the situation after October. “We are seeing limited cancellations from passengers on later dates, but
we have not announced any changes to departures beyond October.”

Holiday giants deny cuts to Egypt holidays while cruise lines continue to …

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