Egypt's tourist shops, bazaars and restaurants are concerned with the effect of the drastic decline in tourism on their livelihoods. They worry about the poor state of Egyptian tourism, particularly because they do not expect Arab tourists to come to Egypt because of unrest in the region. Their only hope is to focus in Egyptian passerby and attract them to touristic restaurants and cafes, they said. However, bazaars trading in goods like hand-woven carpets and trinkets are unlikely to appeal to Egyptians. Hajj Hussein, an owner of a bazaar in Cairo's famous Khan el-Khalili bazaar, told Youm 7 that he now focuses more on the average Egyptian passersby after the disappearance of foreign and Arab tourists. "We, however, know very well that the majority of Egyptians do not buy anything and are just browsing," he said. Hussein thinks that lifting the curfew would encourage tourists from Arab countries to come to Egypt. He also said that an advertising campaign should be created in order to attract them. Nur al-Din Abdo, owner of a restaurant, said that restaurants are suffering less than bazaars and shops frequented by tourists because Egyptians are more likely to go to restaurants. Abdo said he wishes for the return of security and tourism, an end to the state of vulnerability that Egypt is currently experiencing.
