How drop in tourism is altering life for Sinai Bedouins
With tourism having declined in Egypt since the 2011 revolution, south Sinai residents have been leaving their rich, green lands and heading toward urban areas in search of job opportunities.
At the foot of the tallest mountain in central-south Sinai lies an unexpected swath of green. It appears as if placed there by mistake, a color block in an otherwise terracotta red valley. Closer up, the elements of the smudge take shape, revealing a walled orchard, a field of tall leafy plants, olive trees and a tent. The buzzing of a generator can be heard.
For Ramadan Abu Sayed, this garden has been home for nearly 25 years. It is where his children and grandchildren were born. Sometimes hikers and backpackers pay a small fee to sleep among its trees. Today, in the midst of the downturn in tourism that followed the 2011 Egyptian revolution, the garden provides fruit and vegetables for Abu Sayed’s family.
