Saving Two Birds With One Trip

With hardly any visitors coming to Egypt, the tourism industry is hitting rock bottom. But a group of photographers, NGOs and travel agencies are teaming up to boost a new phenomenon that will both attract visitors and save birds from being exterminated by hunters: Bird-watching.

“The project has managed to draw public attention on the importance of birds to bio-diversity”, says Egypt’s top expert bird guide Abdullah Aly Abdullah. The campaign, called Flying Treasures Trips, aims to counteract unregulated bird hunting through the promotion of alternative activities for local communities.

Egypt’s Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts often suffer the scenario in which thousands of endangered migratory species are illegally trapped and killed. Addressing this issue, says Abdulla, requires finding other livelihood activities for those who traditionally rely on hunting. “Actually, bird-watching is the most profitable trend in eco-tourism today”.

Organized by Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE),Egypt Geographic,Bridgegypt and Thebes Tours, this series of non-profit trips began last September on the Red Sea coast and the oasis of Fayoum. Next stop: a historical pharaonic jewel called Abu Simbel.

For more info – NCE’s Facebook Page.