Cairo: Egypt’s tourism minister has resigned in protest over the appointment as Luxor governor of a member of a hardline Islamist group associated with terrorists who killed at least 58 tourists in 1997.
Hisham Zaazou, whose resignation has not yet been accepted by Egypt’s prime minister, opposes the appointment on Sunday of Adel Al Khayat, a member of Gamaa Islamiya — a group whose associates carried out the massacre.
The appointment of Khayat, who denies personal involvement in the attack, has enraged not just Zaazou, but the tourism industry in Luxor, which fears the symbolism of the appointment will put off potential visitors. The city is home to some of the country’s most famous pharaonic ruins, and derives most of its income from tourism. But tourism has already fallen dramatically since Egypt’s uprising in 2011, and locals fear any reminder of the 1997 attacks will further deter tourists. Guardian News
