Tourism Minister Zuhair Garranah said projected tourist bookings in 2011 have fallen by two thirds because of the recent shark attacks near the beach and diving resorts around Sharm el Sheikh in the Sinai.
He blamed the saturation coverage by the international media of the attacks which killed a 70 year-old German woman. He also said that not many holidays which had been booked had been cancelled.
Garranah made his remarks to parliament a few days before t he governor of South Sinai General Abdel-Fadeel Shousha ordered the closure yet again of the majority of beaches around Sharm El Sheikh as a precaution against possible shark attacks. A number of diving beaches were exempted from the closure order including Naima Bay.
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