Finally, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is no longer advising against all but essential travel by air to/from Sharm el Sheikh, which means that airlines can start operating direct flights into the popular dive resort once more.
In an update today, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website stated that the FCO advise against all travel to the Governate of North Sinai, and advise against all but essential travel to the Governate of South Sinai, except the area within the Sharm el Sheikh perimeter barrier, which includes the airport and the areas of Sharm el Maya, Hadaba, Na’ama Bay, Sharks Bay and Nabq.
This is enormous news for the general tourism and in particular diving tourism in the area. For years there has been an outcry for direct flights to Egypt as Sharm el Sheikh was the mainstay for divers, being the birthplace of true diving tourism in Egypt back in the day, and its popularity has endured, with Sharm being a mainstay of many dive club and centre holiday schedules.
Hurghada, the surrounding bays and Marsa Alam were still bringing in divers, but Sharm is the gateway to the Tiran Reefs and Ras Mohammed, real diving hotspots, so this news will be welcome both by the businesses in Sharm itself, and the divers who have been chomping at the bit to come back.
With direct flights to Egypt now a possibility, why not check out our Top 4 Best Red Sea Diving Destinations and start planning your next Red Sea diving adventure.
