- Mustafa Yahya
- BBC, Cairo
2 hours ago
Dancers perform during the opening ceremony of Marassi Marina in August 2021
The North Coast in Egypt is no longer just a resort or a resort for those wishing to escape from the extreme heat in the summer, but it has become a site restricted to a certain group with a different lifestyle that reflects the manifestations of wealth spread there, in clear contrast with the conditions of millions of Egyptians from the poor and middle class who groaning under the weight of difficult economic conditions.
The northern coast of Egypt extends 1,050 km from Rafah in the east on the Sinai Peninsula to Salloum in the west on the Egyptian-Libyan border, and it is one of the longest coasts of the Mediterranean in North Africa. It is distinguished by its blue waters and fine golden sands, but the conventional meaning of the resort is that area extending from western Alexandria through El Alamein and Marsa Matrouh to the Salloum crossing.
Interest in the northern coast began in the mid-eighties of the last century through the construction of a limited number of tourist villages, such as Marakia, Marabella and Marina, which represented a major boom in domestic tourism in Egypt, but it was directed to the wealthy only, then the level of these villages declined and other places appeared that attract from They are richer.
photo released, Getty Images
In the custom of the resort, the northern coast includes the area extending from western Alexandria through El Alamein and Marsa Matrouh to the Salloum crossing.
But in a country that suffers greatly from an economic point of view, and is currently in talks with the International Monetary Fund to obtain a new loan, many find it very difficult to go to such places.
Mostafa Mohamed, who works as a teacher in a public school, says: “Frankly, I never thought of going to the North Coast because of what I hear regarding the high prices, but I have not gone to any resort at all for five years, when I went to Alexandria, where she was in. Prices are within the reach of ordinary citizens.
He added, “In addition, I see on social media the behavior of vacationers as if they are from Western countries and are not Egyptian, whether in terms of clothes or loud celebrations, which are things that do not suit me at all, especially since I go to the resort with my family.”
As for Heba Ibrahim, who works in a children’s care institution, she says: “The summer resort for me means comfort and wearing what suits me freely, away from the gaze of others, but I take into account the costs of the resort as well, so I go to the relatively cheap part of the coast, even if it is more expensive than the resorts. other”.
She adds, “Two years ago, I was curious to go to Marassi, which is said to be for the upper class and the wealthy, and I did not feel comfortable at all, as I felt that people there were completely different from me. So, psychologically, I did not feel comfortable. The prices there are also different and very high. I felt that the place did not look like me, and the prices are very high.”
On the other hand, Ahmed Taya, who works in a government agency, believes that: “The prices in the North Coast are very normal, and close to Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh, but there are some areas where prices are high, such as Hacienda and Marassi. Prices in most areas are normal, the price of a cup of coffee in In some places, for example, it reaches regarding 30 pounds, which is almost close to its price abroad.”
photo released, Getty Images
Ticket prices for singer Amr Diab’s concert in El Alamein reached 100,000 Egyptian pounds per table
‘Fantastically priced’ parties
Singers and art stars hold parties at very high prices on the northern coast, which angers many in a country that suffers greatly in economic terms.
Representative Amal Abdel Hamid, a member of the Parliament’s Planning and Budget Committee, submitted a request for a briefing to the House of Representatives regarding “imaginary ticket prices for singing and art stars in the North Coast concerts.”
Ticket prices for singer Amr Diab’s concert in El Alamein amounted to 100,000 Egyptian pounds per table (5,283 US dollars), in addition to the conditions that all attendees must wear white, and the ticket price for Ruby’s concert reached 35,000 pounds.
Abdel Hamid said in the request for briefing, according to the local newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm: “It seems that many of the stars of art and singing in our country are hidden from the economic conditions that a wide sector of citizens in Egypt is going through, as such prices provoke the majority of citizens who are now suffering due to the global economic crisis.” which cast a shadow over the standard of living of the Egyptians.
But Hazem Safi El-Din, who works in the fashion field for a private company in Marassi, believes that “the category that goes to the northern coast is not affected by the economic problems experienced by the middle and poor class, but the ones who really suffer are the workers here, who do not receive good salaries that suit The nature of life here.Suffice it to know that one of the hotels in Marassi had an offer for a week for two adults and two persons under the age of puberty for one million pounds, and it is possible that you will not even find a reservation, because this amount that is paid for a week that many young people dream of buying an apartment. The price of the chalet in Marassi, which is a little more than fifty meters, is from 4.5 million pounds. The prices of everything here are very high, starting with restaurants and transportation.”
He added, “Even the clothes are very expensive, and since I work in the field of fashion, I can distinguish this well. You may find someone here wearing a shirt worth 20,000 pounds just to be better than the other person who wears a shirt that costs 15,000 pounds! He wears a T-shirt of an international brand that costs 90,000 pounds.
photo released, Getty Images
Jennifer Lopez at a concert on the North Coast in August 2019
The good coast and the bad coast
Recently, the term “good coast and bad coast” appeared among vacationers, to differentiate between areas that the middle class can go to, and those that only the rich can enter.
Safi El-Din, who has been working in Marassi for three years, says: “The coast is divided into three sections: the good coast, the Marina, and the bad coast. The good coast starts from Marina and Sidi Kerir, passing through Marbella, the village of engineers, the kindergarten, the lotus, the diplomats, the teachers and the apprentices, and it is suitable for the person who reaches his salary The monthly salary is approximately 10,000 pounds, where he can go and rent a chalet for regarding 1,000 pounds per day, to spend the month’s salary in a few days.As for the Marina, it is relatively higher and better, so a villa or chalet can be rented for between 3,500 and 5,000 pounds per day, which suits the class that It is said to be average, but there are other areas, such as Marseille, Zahra, Marassi, Hacienda, Amwaj and Almaza Bay, where the prices are very high, as the value of renting a chalet for one day is between 15,000 and 20,000 pounds.”
But it is noted that this area is largely limited to domestic tourism and most of its wearers are local residents, unlike some other areas in Egypt such as Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, Luxor and Aswan.
Safi El-Din says regarding this: “The reason for this is mainly because there is not enough publicity for this area, even though it is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. However, there are some Arab and Russian tourists, although not in large numbers, and there are even foreigners working here as well. “.
It is noteworthy that the northern coast witnessed the famous Battle of El Alamein, which was one of the most important reasons for the victory of the Allies and the end of World War II in 1942, but it left regarding 17 million mines planted in the northwest coast of the Western Desert, and these mines are explosive, which hinders many development processes And take advantage of the natural resources that characterize the region. There are so far the cemeteries of El Alamein, where the soldiers who were killed in the Battle of El Alamein are buried.
