Introduction

Egypt has been a tourist destination for thousands of years. The Nile valley is the central focus for those venturing to see the ancient wonders that Egypt has to offer. During the past two decades the Egyptian government has been attempting to shift part of the touristic influx to other priority zones including the Mediterranean coast, the Red Sea coast, the Gulf of Aqaba, Upper Egypt, and the western desert area (Wahab, 1997: 36). Developing additional tourist zones will help distribute tourists throughout a wider area of Egypt in addition to the potential economic benefits associated with the tourism industry. There are deleterious effects of tourism with any touristic influx into new areas. Egypt must expand its tourist destinations while balancing expansion with the need to protect areas from the long-term effects of tourism. This chapter will specifically address tourism development in the Sinai Peninsula focusing on the Gulf of Aqaba coast, the impact of this development on Bedouin living in the Sinai, visitors to the Sinai, and the role of the Egyptian government in the various stages of touristic development.

Three key variables play vital roles in tourism development in the Sinai. Numerous Bedouin tribes have lived in the Sinai for centuries. Sinai Bedouin have had minimal say in the development of the Sinai; however, sustainable tourism in coordination with the Egyptian government makes the future of the Sinai Bedouin a viable possibility. The next variable of tourism development is the tourist or traveler. (A distinction between traveler and tourist will be used to differentiate between the locations each type of visitor prefers to patronize. The word 'visitor' will hence forth be used to mean both traveler and tourist, if no specific distinction is necessary between either types of visitor.) Visitors seek out different experiences while traveling.