SHENZHEN-BASED travel operators have suspended tours to Egypt after Monday's (Apr 24) terrorist attack at Egypt's Red Sea resort of Dahab, Chen Peiqin, manager with overseas tour department of China Merchants International Travel Service (Shenzhen), told the Shenzhen Daily yesterday.

"Security is our top concern, although during the approaching May Day holidays a few tourists sign up trips to Egypt. After the terrorist blasts occurred, there were still two customers consulting about Egypt tours, but we recommended them to delay the trip until July, when the travel agency makes sure it is safe for Shenzhen travelers," said Chen.

Eachtravel, another major overseas tour operator in Shenzhen, revealed its tour program to Egypt didn't include Dahab, where 24 had been killed in the blasts. "We had actually suspended travel programs to Egypt since early this year when 14 Hong Kong tourists were killed in a car accident there," said Han Chen, manager with Eachtravel's international travel section. He didn't disclose when the Egyptian tours would resume, only stressing that safety is the priority.

Some travel agencies even said that they were not willing to promote Egypt as a tourist destination in Shenzhen after the blasts.

This situation has upset Egyptian businessmen in Shenzhen, who were looking forward to promoting their country among Chinese people. Adel El Sayed, president of Egypt-China Business Council (South China), told the Shenzhen Daily that the Egyptian government was aiming to attract 60,000 Chinese tourists to his country, but the terrorist attack had put paid to the plans. More about 31,000 Chinese tourists visited Egypt last year, Sayed said.

The situation in countries like Egypt has bolstered the popularity of Southeast Asian countries among Chinese tourists.

Domestic travel is booming as well. A report issued Tuesday by the Shenzhen Municipal Tourism Bureau said that more than 53,600 locals had signed up for domestic tours between May 1 and 7.

Editor: Wing