After Attack, Egypt's Luxor Fears New Blow To Vital Tourism

LUXOR, Egypt (AP) — Residents are in a panic in this Egyptian city of monumental pharaonic temples and ancient tombs, fearing that a foiled terrorist attack outside the famed Karnak Temple will kill the tourist industry on which most of the population depends for their livelihoods, just as it was starting to regain some footing after years of turmoil. The tourism, antiquities, security ministers and the prime minister flew to the southern city to reassure locals and foreigners that the security situation is under control. While some praised the police for stopping the attackers from entering the temple, others said authorities should have known better that one of Egypt's prime tourist destinations was an obvious target for an Islamic militant insurgency that has boiled for two years and has moved from revenge attacks on police and soldiers to targeting the economy and the government. [...] it was the first time that we get the message loud and clear, we have become a target," said Mohammed Othman, deputy chief of the travel agents association in southern Egypt. Since the attack, Othman has worked the phones, answering queries from anxious international companies and diplomats from the U.S., Britain, and Japan— source of some of the city's loyal tourists — over details of the attack and security measures. The attack brought back memories of 1997, when tourism collapsed after Islamic militants waging a years-long anti-government insurgency killed nearly 60 tourists at temple of Hatshepsut on the West Bank. Tourism took years to recover, even after security forces crushed the militants. Since Morsi's ouster, a new generation of militants centered in the Sinai Peninsula has stepped up a campaign of violence. Another taxi driver who was at the scene at the time of the attack also pointed to lax security, saying when he brings tourists to the site, police at the gate only ask the nationalities.