As Egypt’s economy continues to suffer from a fall off in the number of tourists visiting the country, Islamist parties including Al-Nur and the Freedom and Justice Party, have said that they will be holding conferences to discuss how best to improve the situation. It is hoped that the moves will do something to quell the fears that the ultra-conservatives are aiming to damage the sector.

Some fundamentalists have called for the destruction of ancient monuments because they encourage idolatry. In 2010, 15 million visitors came to look at Egypt’s treasures and to enjoy its Red Sea beaches. However, many in the travel industry fear that strict Islamic law will put tourists off from flying in.

It has been suggested that beaches aught to be segregated, the wearing of revealing swimwear banned, and that the sale of alcohol be made illegal. Last week, 1,000 people who rely on tourism for their living gathered in protest near the pyramids.

According to one of the guides, who had studied Coptic, Islamic and Egyptian history, the Islamists represent a real problem for the country’s travel industry. He added that each party should be required to lay out detailed plans for how they intend to encourage tourism before parliament sits.

Many are angry with Abdel Moneim el-Shahat, a popular member of the Salafis. He has fallen short of demanding that statues be destroyed, but has advocated hiding them in wax. Tourism provides more than 10 per cent of Egypt’s GDP, is its largest earner of foreign cash, and employs one in eight of all workers.