CAIRO - Cairo shop owners have been complaining that work is quite slow because the customers and tourists are not interested in buying wares or coming to Egypt anymore. The downtown market, which was usually full of customers, has been affected by the political turmoil and financial shortage that have gripped the country, after the January 25 revolution, the owners agree. Customers as well as Arab tourists have almost stopped buying despite an attractive discounts, that are being offered on all locally made products and souvenirs, complains shop owner Ahmed Farid, who sells leather products in Sherif Pasha Street in central Cairo. On Thursday, the street witnessed a bloody clash between thugs and street vendors. Many owners had to close their shops lest they should be destroyed or plundered by the thugs, according to eyewintesses. The shop owners on this famous street have blamed the political unrest, which has been gripping the market since January, for the slowdown in their business. "There is a severe drop in activity during the peak season, that runs from March until September because of the current political situation," Adel Ishaq, who owns a watch shop said, adding that he was forced to lay off three employees over the past two months because he could not pay their salaries. Meanwhile, Fawzi Farid, owner of a souvenir shop in the Khan el-Khalil area of Islamic Cairo, said that the repetitive street rallies and protests had negatively affected the overall commercial and business climate in Cairo. "These protests and rallies are turning away tourists, who are afraid to come to Cairo," Fawzi said, accusing the local and foreign media of painting a grim picture of the country, after every massive rally that is being held either on Cairo's Al Tahrir Square, or el-Hussein Square on Fridays. "When Arab and foreign tourists watch these news, they think that the whole of Egypt is on fire and become afraid to come," Farid said. Ahmed el-Dahan, owner of Kebab shop in the nearby el-Hussein area, said that business has been quite slow recently because only few Arab tourists come to Egypt. "I have laid off 25 per cent of the restaurant staff," el-Dahan said, adding he did not know how to keep his Kebab business afloat now that the prices of local meat and vegetables have soared since January. He said that sometime he turned off the lights during the day. "Because the business is slow, it is not worth putting the lights on during the day," el-Dahan added. "The restaurant used to be filled with Egyptian and Arab clients. Before, Egyptian families and tourist groups used to come en masse to eat my famous Kebab and fattah (a traditional Egyptian dish made from fried garlic rice mixed with dry bread morsels and meat stock). But, now the two-floor shop is almost empty of clients," he said. El-Dahan said that although few local clients were still showing up, it was not enough to cope with the daily losses. "Before January, waiters used to have to turn away customers and now look at us," he said, adding that the restaurants in Hussein area, which used to receive Egyptians on Thursdays and Fridays, have been hard hit. Hassan el-Sirgani Junior, who owns a jewellery store in el-Sagha District in Islamic Cairo, also said his business had all but dried up since January �" first because of the revolution and then as the pro-democracy protests escalated during the past four months. "I have had a good season last year. But, I am not expecting to do even better this summer, which is considered the marriage season in Egypt," el-Sirgani said, adding that many shop owners were afraid that the current downturn would last until the end of the summer season.
