COVID-19 to affect tourism-dependent North African economies

This picture taken on July 1, 2020 shows a view of camel guides waiting near the (L to R) Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) and Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren) at the Giza Pyramids necropolis on the southwestern outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo, as the archaeological site reopens while the country eases restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. (File/AFP)

• Both the pandemic and curfews imposed to contain the disease have effectively wiped out tourism in many countries

DUBAI: The North African economies of Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, which are dependent tourists, will encounter an intermediate risk in their tourism activity due to the coronavirus outbreak, local daily Al-Ahram online reported.
The Economic Vulnerability Index of the European Investment Bank (EIB) said countries that rely highly on tourism are more prone to an economic downturn amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The EIB index measures the vulnerability in countries outside the European Union.
Both the pandemic and curfews imposed to contain the disease have effectively wiped out tourism in many countries. A global recession will like hit tourist revenues after restrictions have been gradually lifted, the report said.
“Half of the low-income countries and 25 percent of middle-income countries experience the highest risk of COVID-19 outbreak, while 56 percent of high-income countries face an intermediate level of risk, along with 63 percent of middle-income economies and half of the poorest countries, according to the EIB’s index results,” the report said.