PRO-POOR TOURISM AS A PANACEA FOR SLUMS IN EGYPT

Abstract

Poverty alleviation has been given high priority on the agendas of international organizations, governments, and civil society organizations in different parts of the world. The current study mainly aims to evaluate the situation of pro-poor tourism in Egypt; as being the international trend to use tourism as a tool to reduce poverty levels in impoverished slums areas particularly in developing and emerging countries. This research handles three governorates as case studies representing different levels of welfare and poverty in Egypt; Fayoum as a model of Upper Rural & Urban region, Kafr el-Sheikh as an example of Lower Rural & Urban region, and the Great Cairo as a model of Metropolitan city. The study methodology focuses on the descriptive statistics techniques. The study reveals- in general- the absence or shortage of interest of pro-poor tourism in both awareness and practice sides. So, the study- basically- insists on adopting the national strategy and action plan to the development of pro-poor tourism in Egypt in an attempt to stimulate and activating the role of tourism in the fight against poverty.