VOA慢速英语2014 埃及游客人数增长低迷

 

AS IT IS 2014-12-05 Egypt’s Increase in Visitors Not Enough 埃及游客人数增长低迷 

Officials in Egypt say the country’s tourist industry appears to be recovering after years of unrest. Egypt enjoyed a huge increase in visitors during summer and early autumn. But observers say continued insecurity makes tourism undependable – and not profitable enough to cure the country’s weak economy.

Sharm el-Sheik is a historic resort town on the Sinai Peninsula. Foreign tourists often travel to Sharm el-Sheik to see the Red Sea. But they see none of the insecurity that sometimes puts the town’s name in the news. Egyptian officials say they hope that by next year, tourism will return to its pre-2011 level. At that time, the industry earned more than 12 billion dollars in a year.

Tourism minister Hisham Zaazou says the hope and challenge is to report a major return to profitability in the first part of the year. But some observers say this may prove difficult. They say the industry depends on international public opinion of Egypt’s safety in a time of continued unrest.

Sami Baroudi teaches political science at Lebanese American University. He says Egypt needs more economic diversity, and to reduce its dependence¹ on travelers.

“Tourism is a very important but volatile² sector³. So you cannot pin your economic strategy on a sector that one or two bombings or one or two, basically, assassinations⁴ may impact adversely⁵.”

He says that for Egypt to escape widespread crushing poverty, the country needs to invest in industry and export goods. But he adds that unlike the export business, Egypt’s tourism industry already has the infrastructure⁶ and expertise⁷ that it needs. 

“You have to bear in mind all the investments that have been done in the tourism sector, all the jobs in Egypt that are tied to tourism.  And the government cannot but give high priority to this sector.”

Three years of political upset have led two Egyptian governments to collapse⁸. And, economists¹⁰ say even if the government succeeds in getting tourists to return, it will still need to depend heavily on foreign aid. 

Marwan Iskander is an economist⁹ in Lebanon.

“It is not enough to help Egypt to take off because the events that took place between 2011 until 2013 had ended the economy significantly.”             

At this time, protests and clashes in Egypt continue. They threaten to affect some of the recent successes in the tourism industry. But Marwan Iskander says new markets are opening up. He notes a large increase in the number of Russians visiting Egypt in recent years. And tour guides say insecurity -- like the Nile River -- will prove long-lasting.

Words in This Story

enjoyed – v. took pleasure in

challenge – n. a difficult task or problem; something that is hard to do

diversity – n. the quality of having many different forms, types or ideas

sector – n. an area of an economy

upset – n. a period of worry and unhappiness caused by something that has happened

1 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

2 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

3 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

4 assassinations   

n.暗杀( assassination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Most anarchist assassinations were bungled because of haste or spontaneity, in his view. 在他看来，无政府主义者搞的许多刺杀都没成功就是因为匆忙和自发行动。 来自辞典例句
• Assassinations by Israelis of alleged terrorists habitually kill nearby women and children. 在以色列，自称恐怖分子的炸弹自杀者杀害靠近自己的以色列妇女和儿童。 来自互联网

5 adversely   

ad.有害地

参考例句：

• We commented adversely upon the imbecility of that message of telegraphic style. 我们对着这条电报式的愚蠢的留言发泄了一通不满。
• Widely fluctuating exchange rates may adversely affect international trade. 浮动幅度很大的汇率可能会对国际贸易产生有害的影响。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

8 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

9 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

10 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》