Tourism or Tragedy? Shadowy Deal Puts Egypt’s Last Wild Red Sea Shores at Risk

The Red Sea’s Wadi al-Gemal National Park has long stood as one of Egypt’s last bastions of untouched marine beauty.

Its pristine bays, coral gardens, and endangered green turtles have made it not only an ecological gem but also a symbol of the delicate balance between nature and development. Yet, this sanctuary is now facing an uncertain future, as a controversial and opaque tourism deal threatens to unravel decades of conservation progress.

At Ras Hankorab, a stretch of beach where turtles nest under the Milky Way’s glow, excavators arrived in March, sparking outrage among conservationists and reserve staff. Thousands rallied behind a petition to “Save Hankorab,” demanding clarity after reports surfaced of a resort contract signed between an undisclosed government entity and a private investment company. Although construction was quickly halted following intervention from the environment ministry, insiders warn the project remains alive in the shadows.

Environmental experts stress that unregulated tourism development could spell disaster. “Noise, lights, heavy human activity, they could destroy the ecosystem,” cautions Professor Mahmoud Hanafy, a marine biologist advising the Red Sea governorate. His concerns echo warnings from the UN Development Programme, which in 2019 highlighted how Egypt’s rapid tourism expansion had often come at the expense of fragile habitats.

The controversy comes as Egypt faces its deepest economic crisis in decades. With the government aggressively courting foreign investment through multi-billion-dollar coastal development projects, environmental protections are increasingly being tested. Critics argue that the rush to monetize natural reserves risks erasing the very assets that attract visitors in the first place.

For now, Ras Hankorab’s construction remains paused, but the newly erected gate, higher entry fees, and early signs of commercialization paint a troubling picture. Without transparency and stronger legal safeguards, one of the Red Sea’s last wild shores could soon be transformed beyond recognition.

The fate of Hankorab, and the endangered turtles that call it home, hangs in the balance, a stark reminder of the fragile line between tourism and tragedy.