Wherever chips may fall: Israelis return to Taba casinos
Egyptian upheaval far from over but it seems Israelis have already put it all behind them as they once again flock to casinos. 'After realizing casino was open we were pleasantly surprised by wonderful way we were treated,' says one tourist
The slot machines were ringing endlessly in the packed Egyptian tourism hotspot as Israeli tourists stated that the delicate political situation wasn't dimming the atmosphere. "The Egyptians are doing everything they can so that we will feel safe," one tourist explained. "They boosted security in the streets and near hotel entrances."
According to Airport Authority statistics, 1,200 Israelis crossed the border at the Taba crossing over the weekend on their way to Sinai. The majority then headed to the casinos at the Taba Hilton and the nearby Taba Sands Hotel. This is a significant rise in the stream of tourists heading for Sinai, as a week earlier only 130 Israelis crossed the border.
At the height of the Egypt riots, Israelis staying at Taba hotels were told to end their stay immediately and return to Israel for fear that Bedouin tribes would see the end of the Mubarak regime as an opportunity to take over areas throughout Sinai, including tourist destinations. Hotels also decided to put a stop to casino activities for a few days but have since returned to normal.
Gambling again. Israelis at Taba casino
One Taba hotel senior employee told Ynet "the fact that we decided to evacuate Israelis two weeks ago shows that we care about the safety of tourists in general and Israelis in particular. As soon as we received information about the possibility of a security threat we didn't hesitate, and immediately took care of the Israeli tourists, because they are important to us. I call on Israeli tourists to come back now, it's safe again."
And the Israelis answered the call in multitudes. "We love Taba and enjoy the casino," said the Levi family from Haifa who were in Sinai for the weekend. "When we called the hotel they calmed us down and said that it's safe here and we have nothing to be worried about."
The Levis were staying at the Taba Sands Hotel with three other couples. "At first we were a bit concerned and even told friends of ours in Eilat that if we didn't feel safe we would be coming to stay with them. But after realizing that the casino was open we were pleasantly surprised by the wonderful way we were treated. We were also welcomed at the border crossing," one family member said.
Security reinforced
In spite of the calming statements, signs of the sensitive situation were evident in the heightened presence of Egyptian security forces. "When we walked in we saw that security had been reinforced and that there were lots of officers and security personnel near the border. No one gets into the hotels without a security check, including the employees and managers," an Israeli tourist said.
And while tourists waiting to cross the border at the Taba terminal were greeted with repeated travel warnings, there were still plenty of families with children on the other side of the border.
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