Egyptian Tourism Falls After Rioting by Troops

Tourism in Egypt over the last week was sharply down from the rate a year ago, Tourism Minister Fuad Sultan reported Wednesday.

He said the number of tourists entering Egypt from Feb. 25, when security troops went on a a rampage near the Great Pyramids and in other parts of Cairo, totaled 8,000 through Tuesday, down from 18,000 last year.

The drop cost the country about $750,000 a day, Sultan said. Tourism is the country’s fourth largest source of foreign currency.

“If the present drop in the rate of tourists remained, it would be a crisis,” Sultan said.