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International
Arabs lament drop in tourism. Really.
2003-05-28
CAIRO - Arab tourism ministers meeting in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday lamented a drop in tourism in a region they said has trouble shedding a worldwide image of terrorism.
Golly. I can't imagine why that happened...
"Our meeting is held in difficult circumstances for the tourism industry in the world and in the Arab region in particular," Jordan's Tourism Minister Nader al-Dahabi told the meeting. "Troubles in the Arab region and the twisted image given by the media about our region" has harmed tourism."
See? It's the media, not the Krazed Killers...
Egypt's Tourism Minister Mamduh el-Beltagui said Arab countries "are faced with a big danger which weighs particularly on the tourism industry" as a result of people associating terrorism with Arabs and Muslims. "We must work to correct this image and tourism is the best way to do it because it's an industry of peace," Beltagui said.
"Honey, I've got our vacation itinerary all worked out:
First, Morocco, for the bombings. Then we'll nip over to Algeria, to watch the kiddies get their throats slit. There's an ancient synagogue in Tunisia, and we can watch it explode. Nothing much in Egypt, just a family feud or two — only 20 casualties or so, but from there we get to go to Yemen, to watch the missionary slaughter. In Soddy Arabia, we can watch a few explosions and some beheadings. Can can stop in Jordan to get some rest at Maan. Then to Paleostine, for a nice bus tour in Jerusalem. We won't have too much time in Lebanon, darn it. Maybe we'll just catch a bite at McDonald's or Kentucky Fried Chicken and stop by the embassy. Iraq's pretty busy, so we'll just stop by Najaf to watch an ayatollah chopped to pieces. From there, it's Iran, where they're stoning an adultress and we can catch the marching mullahs. Then we have a sidetrip to Indonesia, where we can go clubbing in Bali, see Zamboanga, where the monkeys have no tails, in the Philippines, and from there it's on to beautiful Pakistan, where somebody'll cut our heads off. What do you think?"
Posted by:Fred Pruitt

#11  You forgot the Buddha statues. (silence)
Posted by: Brian   2003-05-29 01:46:08  

#10  No kidding the non-oil Arab Countries really depend on tourism. So much so I would think they would clean up terrorism just to save their economies.
Posted by: Jake   2003-05-28 23:42:24  

#9  Don't forget taking in a musical in Moscow!
Posted by: 11A5S   2003-05-28 18:38:54  

#8  CC---The problem is the same as that of some of the dinosaurs: The stimulus in the tail takes along time to arrive at the brain (if the neural pathway is developed). By the time they process the disaster, all hell has broken loose and they are just THINKING about responding. I wonder how many of them learn Karate.....
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2003-05-28 18:28:50  

#7  Also from the full version of the article:

Bahrain's Tourism Minister Yaaqub al-Hamr said that the September 11 attacks had influenced Western public opinion "which considers our region to be a terrorism zone that must be avoided at all costs." The obviousness of this is so ... so ... obvious, that this quote floors me.

"Terrorism and extremism have seriously affected tourism and the economy of our region, and our losses will continue to increase if we don't try to save what can still be saved," he said. And what do you propose? Do you think it is finally hitting these guys that murdering tourists (remember the mass slaughter near the Pyramids a couple of years ago) is bad for tourism? These people are simply stunning in their apparent stupidity or maybe it is obstinance in facing up to reality.
Posted by: ColoradoConservative   2003-05-28 17:14:38  

#6  ...and to pick your Nigerian Email Scam money.
Posted by: tu3031   2003-05-28 16:43:57  

#5  I should have added a stop to take in a beauty contest in Nigeria. How did I overlook that?
Posted by: Fred   2003-05-28 16:40:36  

#4  Surely you should visit Sudan and Mauritania, where -- if you convert to Islam -- you could buy a black slave or two. No stops in Nigeria? -- lots of fun there, especially in the north. In the Philippines, a trip to the eco-resorts on Palawan is certainly worthwhile -- if lucky you might end up with a free trip on a fast boat to Jolo or Basilan.
Posted by: closet neo-con   2003-05-28 16:37:35  

#3  Krazed Killers from Kabul? Do the Jehadi Jerkoff, bay-bee...
Posted by: mojo   2003-05-28 16:37:05  

#2  Egypt's Tourism Minister Mamduh el-Beltagui said Arab countries "are faced with a big danger which weighs particularly on the tourism industry" as a result of people associating terrorism with Arabs and Muslims. "We must work to correct this image and tourism is the best way to do it because it's an industry of peace," Beltagui said.

From the land of the Religion of Peace, now comes the Industry of Peace. Arabs? Muslims? Terrorism?
No way?!
Damn media!
Posted by: tu3031   2003-05-28 16:35:55  

#1  " ... the twisted image given by the media about our region" has harmed tourism."

Is this guy:

(a) in denial (I will avoid the oft-used pun even if they are meeting in Egypt);
(b) so detached from reality as that term is used in countries where killing, maiming and bombing in the name of Allah are NOT the norm;
(c) related somehow to the former Iraqi Minister of Disinformation (who's name I've already forgotten - Andy Warhol where are you);
(d) shooting for the "Chutzpah of the Year" award?
Posted by: ColoradoConservative   2003-05-28 16:33:14  

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