Holiday to Hurghada booked! Don't want to go now.....

[heckythump01]

I have booked a girly holiday with my daughter next month to Hurghada! The reason I picked this destination as it was affordable and has a huge water park which she we love.....I saw last night that British airways have cancelled flights to Cairo and i am now panicking about going! Am I just being a worry head? Sods law I only booked it on Thursday.........

water sometimes comes out brown so let it run a bit before you brush teeth

Don't even think about brushing your teeth with tap water! Bottled only. And keep your mouth shut in the shower.

Been to Egypt about 7 times and only got ill the first time. Been to Hurghada, Taba Heights (my fav), Maakadi Bay and Marsa Alam.

Personally I wouldn't go to Egypt or Tunisia, especially with my child! I don't envision a relaxing holiday with armed guards around!

My mum just went on a 5* AI trip to Agadir in Morocco and had a fab time and felt safe etc. Maybe see if you can change to there? I think the paid 650 for a week pp but you could probably get something cheaper last minute

Hurghada is definetly safe (probably safer than UK!) Also I advise you to always pay in Egyptian Pounds, you'll be charged extortion if they know it's English or dollars!
And barter, even with taxis, if they know you're foreign they'll expect you to pay higher.

Yes everywhere is heavily secure but IMO it made me feel alot safer, everything was under control.

Doesnt matter where you go in the world to be honest....i went to a place in April it was great, felt safe out of the hotel going to different places on our own, beautiful and i loved it. Two days later there was a terrorist attack and now the Govt.UK website has advised to not go there...taken off TUI site as well....so sad for the people who live there that need tourism to survive

Hurgarda is definetly safe

Ridiculous comment.

@70isaLimitNotaTarget completely with you on this, just awful

Morocco is no safer than Egypt or Tunisia. I can’t believe people are suggesting that as safer. There’s news just this week about those two poor girls who were murdered in December in a terrorist attack.

I've been to Egypt several times. The Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel, the pyramids, etc are just incredible. Diving in the Red Sea was amazing and I hope to go back one day. But I wouldn't go at the moment.

I don't see the point in going to an unstable and potentially unsafe country just to be locked up all day in a resort. You could go to Spain, Greece, Italy.. places without the political unrest and terrorism risk, and have exactly the same holiday.

The point of going to Egypt, surely, is to see Egypt?! If you're not going to do that then why take the risk. Water parks are everywhere.

You get a lot more for your money in Egypt.

This years holiday is costing us £3500. 3 adult places, 4 star AI. For that we get a hotel directly on the beach, in a village type area, with a Waterpark, 2 buffet restaurants, 6 a la carte (included in the price) and a payable spa, dive centre and watersports. We have a large room with a separate area for DD. That is pretty standard for Hurghada.

You won't get that in Europe. We paid far more a few years ago for Kos, which while it was a lovely holiday, wasn't a patch on Hurghada. And just checking now, the same holiday flying next week is £4600.

Cairo is nowhere near hurgada. Egypt is a big place 😀 It's safe and you will be fine. Enjoy your holiday

I went to Sharm a few years ago with my boys to an all inclusive resort. I’d just had a small inheritance so was having a treat. Normally go half board to the Med. The hotel was absolutely lovely, the (exclusively male) staff were very friendly and chatty. The diving and snorkelling was good, if a bit busy. We left the resort twice and the armed guards were a bit of a surprise! The place was full of Russians, some of whom were a bit arrogant.

As we left for the airport the guide thanked us for coming to Sharm and it was clear that they were desperate for tourism. The airport security seemed a bit disorganised and lax in comparison to the armed guards. We flew home and woke up next morning to hear a later flight to Russia had crashed in a terrorist attack. After the feelings of shock, fear and pity for those on that flight, I just felt so sorry for all the friendly staff and their families as it became obvious that Sharm wasn’t going to quickly recover.

I don’t know much about Hurghada, I imagine it’s similar to Sharm as in the tourist area is in the middle of nowhere and guarded, but at least it’s not in the Sinai Peninsula.

Since that holiday I’ve avoided Turkey and would never go back to Egypt. I’d like to try Morocco but I’m a bit wary.

Cairo is nowhere near hurgada. Egypt is a big place 😀 It's safe and you will be fine. While the probability is that the OP will be fine, the whole of Egypt is deemed likely to have a terrorist attack, as is mentioned on our government website. It looks like it’s the flights to or from Egypt that are risky, not places themselves right now.

Just to put this warnings in some perspective.
US has Egypt on level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Same as UK🤷

@nosauce why is it ridiculous? It's no more dangerous than Greece or Spain for holidaying. Have you not seen the current travel guidelines? Nearly all of Europe is now high risk.
Atleast in Hurghada there are safety precautions.

People are missing the point. The reason BA cancelled flights is not because of threats on the ground, it's threat of terrorism against aviation which is an entirely different thing.

Where did BA confirm it was due to threat to aviation? I've only seen that they refused to fully comment as they don't comment on their security concerns. That's it. What have I missed?

It’s ridiculous because you said it was definitely safe. Which it isn’t.

I’ve been several times, lovely lovely place, the most wonderfully pleasant helpful staff and great weather.
We stayed at the jaz aquamarine last and it was perfect for us and then 6 yo SD.
I wouldn’t hesitate to go back now with DS 18m.
It’s very hot (talking 40’s when we went in August) but the staff never left us without drinks.
Have a fantastic holiday!

just got back a week friday from hurghada 9th time there,safe as houses even wandering around resort,only mither you get is when shopping as you're expected to haggle or off the cabbies but if you do it light hearted,it's all fun,there are no armed guards on buses,tours etc,tho at checkpoints leading into the city they may be but it's very low ket,your 5hrs away from Cairo,Hurghada is a wonderful place and the people love the brits,go enjoy yourself and then be like every other 1st timer after "dont know what i was so worried about.....booking again for next year" :) x

I think unless you've sat through some intelligence briefings it's hard to say how safe it is. I dont think arguing on a thread about it without more info is helpful.

It's not as safe as the UK, see FCO website
www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt
But I'd still go (my DH is a pilot and he def wouldnt). But the specific location you're going to is highly unlikely to have an attack

to put a bit of perspective on it,it's like hearing there's a security alert at Glasgow airport,then not going out because you live in Essex :) x

Cairo is well away from hurghada. Go and have a lovely time. My sister worked in hurghada for a year and would go there 3/4 times a year and loves it there. I went with DD a couple of years ago and had a fab holiday

Just returned, security is impressive the last thing a holiday resort wants is an attack. Every hotel has security scanners on entry and guards.
The risk increases in religous places and busy areas.
The sea is so warm and crystal clear the people are kind, the fish are incredible and its hot hot hot!

To all those citing the FCO caution iro terrorism, it seems fairly subdued compared with that for France!

Terrorism

Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in France.

UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out more about the global threat from terrorism.
Attacks could be indiscriminate. Due to ongoing threats to France by Islamist terrorist groups, and recent French military intervention against Daesh (formerly referred to as ISIL), the French government has warned the public to be extra vigilant and has reinforced its own domestic and overseas security measures. You should be vigilant in public places and follow the advice of local French authorities.

There have been a number of high profile terrorist attacks since 2015 across France. On 13 November 2015 terrorist attacks killed 130 and injured hundreds more at multiple sites across Paris. On 14 July 2016, 84 people were killed when a truck was driven through a crowd of people on the promenade in Nice. On 3 February 2017, a knife attack inside the Louvre museum complex in Paris injured a French soldier. The attacker was arrested. On 6 June 2017, police shot a man after he attacked a police officer with a hammer outside the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. On 23 March 2018, a man carried out various attacks in the Carcassonne area of southern France, killing 4 people. The police shot and killed the attacker.

There’s a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time.

For myself I remain more than comfortable to continue to travel to Hurghada