Red Sea - safe for holiday now?

[RedSeaQuestion]

We have a family holiday booked in the Eyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm in Feb half term.

Now the UK has joined US attacks in the Red Sea and the Houtis have sworn retaliation against the US/UK.

I feel worried and want to cancel but we would lose significant money as the Gov travel advice still says it’s safe so insurance won’t pay out. DH keen to go. Am I being stupid? Would others travel there now? I’m aware tourists have been targeted in the region in the past.

I wouldn't go there. Far too unpredictable in current climate.

It depends: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt

If you travel in breach of fcdo advise your standardinsurance will be void and you'd need specialist travel insurance.

You’d be crazy to go now. I’m sorry.

Wouldn't go in a million years.

@MissusKay that is the problem, the fcdo says it is safe. If they said otherwise it would be fine as we would get a refund. Instead we stand to lose our money.

I would take the hit on the money personally. It's just money at the end of the day, and the situation in that region is currently escalating, not cooling down.

It wouldn't be worth to us.

I would go. If the gov think you're perfectly safe in that area then the chances are you will be - literally anywhere could be subject to a terrorist attack, could just as easily happen on a day trip to London.

I would go, the Egyptian government will be putting huge measures into place to keep you safe, they can't afford to lose the tourism

I wouldn't have gone there before this, never mind now! 😆

I don't think there is much risk that Egypt will be attacked, and personally I would go, but if you are likely to be anxious all the time, there is not much point in being on holiday.

Ring the travel company and ask if you can move the holiday to a different country

Another suggesting to ring the company and ask - may charge you an admin fee but cheaper than full cancellation

Have you checked on the map how far the conflict zone is from the resorts in Egypt? They are around Yemen, much further even from the Gaza strip. The distance between the northest part of Yemen and Sharm is 1000 miles. That's about as far as Milan from London.

No way would I go. Is it worth the risk just for a holiday?

That's fair, but I think really what we assess differently is the risk. Like others have said, there is high terrorist risk in London too. This kind of risk is not higher (probably lower) in Egypt, at the holiday resorts. And really, is there a risk of attack in a country, just because 1000 miles away there is a military conflict going on?
This is similar to visiting Poland - it is just as near to the conflict that is going on in the other half of Ukraine.

Sharm El-Sheik is over 1,000 miles away from Yemen and a similar distance from where the attacks have been happening. Unless things escalate I would still go.

A really interesting split of opinion here. I thought everyone with me and cautious for the first few posts but then lots of people came on and echoed my husband’s words.

no chance of a change of destination by begging a holiday company. I booked flights and hotel direct myself. I could portably ch age flights for a few but not the £4000 for the hotel.

I know it’s 1000 miles to Yemen. I’m spooked that tourists have been targeted in Egypt at other times (nothing to do with Yemen).

I wouldn't go but I've been before and wouldn't go back if someone paid me. So not very helpful.

We looked at going to Egypt last year as DS and I are keen scuba divers, we were put off by the increasing number of shark attacks, and even though I've dived with sharks hundreds of times, the recent attacks over the last 2-3 years have really put me off. I'd be even less tempted to go now though as I'd be worried about the situation changing whilst out there and being unable to get back quickly/easily if necessary.

If you’re spooked at tourists having previously been targeted in Egypt then it’s pretty daft to book a holiday in Egypt. Current problems in Yemen are pretty irrelevant to safety in Egyptian tourist locations.

I used to live near Sharm, I taught diving there for a year in my early 20s. So I know what it’s like as a place. We were goi g for the diving, that is all. I was goi g to teach all the kids of SCIBA for the first time. The issue I’m worried about is whether it’s safe, not whether it’s nice.

I am going in two weeks. Nothing on God's earth will stop me - I need the heat.

This will be my 7th visit to Egypt, but first to the Red Sea. The first time I went was after one of those attacks. It was so cheap it would have been a crime not to go! To be honest, I'd feel no more at risk than in my local city, and probably less at risk than in London. And whilst Egypts political context may be less than democratic in Western terms, they will do what is necessary to protect tourism, and ask fewer questions than UK authorities before doing it.

Since 1970 3400 people in the UK have been killed in terrorist attacks. Nobody asks if it is safe to go out.

I would go, it’s probably safer there than any western place at the moment. If there are terrorist attacks they’re more likely to be against bigger western targets than a few tourists in Sharm. London is just as much at risk.

I wouldn't have gone before.. never heard anything good about it..( restrictions). Definitely wouldn't go now.
We are even considering not going to Cyprus this year like we usually do because of the red sea.

They're more likely to hit the UK than Egypt IMO