Tourist Services

The Egyptian General Authority for the Promotion of Tourism (EGAPT) has offices everywhere. The Egyptian tourist authorities also run a program called the Tourist Friends Association from 33 Kasr an-Nil St., 9th fir., Cairo (tel. 74 20 36), whereby Egyptian youth wait to meet, talk with, and assist foreign tourists daily from 6pm to 9pm, free of charge. The Tourist Police, despite the quasi-fascist name are actually meant to assist visitors with any problems.

Go to them in case of theft, or loss of life or limb; most speak some English. The officers are recognizable by their uniforms (black in winter, white in summer) with the words “Tourist Police” on arm bands. Another source of titillating information is the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism, Misr Travel Tower, Abbassiya, Cairo (tel. 82 35 10 or 82 48 58).