Siwa is back in the international spotlight, but the good press comes with a side of caution. An AFP report highlights the delicate balancing act facing Egypt’s “hidden oasis” as a post-pandemic tourism surge threatens the very isolation that defines it. While the influx of visitors is a boon for the local economy, the report warns that the oasis’s unique culture and fragile ecological system — including its 200 natural springs and historic architecture — are under increasing pressure from modern development and mass tourism.

The story is a familiar one for the tourism sector: How to monetize a remote asset without destroying the mystery that makes it valuable. The takeaway here is the growing tension between the state’s aggressive push for tourist footfall and the sustainability of untouched destinations. Much like the environmental concerns raised over the Ras Hankorab development on the Red Sea, the Siwa narrative suggests that Egypt’s path to 30 mn tourists by 2030 will require more sophisticated management to prevent cultural and environmental erosion.

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