The Egypt Chamber of Tourism prohibits tourist groups from visiting the Khan Al-Khalili and Al-Hussein areas during the celebrations of the birth of Imam Hussein.

The Chamber of Travel and Tourism Companies and Agencies in Egypt announced that tourist groups are not allowed to visit the Khan Al-Khalili and Al-Hussein areas, in addition to banning traffic on Al-Azhar Street, in conjunction with the celebrations of the birth of Imam Hussein.

The Chamber explained that the decision was based on what was received by the General Administration of Tourism and Antiquities Investigations, Department of Corporate Investigations, in light of the human density and severe crowding the region is witnessing during the celebration period.

According to the decision, the procedures will begin to be implemented as of 11 a.m. on Tuesday, October 6, and will continue until the morning of Wednesday, October 7, provided that tourism companies are committed to informing their representatives and tourism program organizers of the content of the decision.

The Chamber called on companies working in the field of foreign tourism to take into account not including the Al-Hussein area, Khan Al-Khalili, or passing through Al-Azhar Street in the group programs during the specified period, in order to ensure the regulation of the movement of tourists and avoid their exposure to the dangers of crowding.

The decision does not mean closing historical areas to visitors in general, but rather aims to regulate the movement of tourist groups during the peak hours associated with the celebrations, in an area that is considered one of the most prominent cultural and heritage destinations in Cairo.

The Al-Hussein and Khan Al-Khalili areas gain special importance in cultural tourism programs, as they combine, within a limited geographical scope, historical Islamic monuments, traditional markets, cafes and restaurants of a heritage nature, in addition to their proximity to Al-Muizz Street and a number of the most prominent Islamic monuments in historic Cairo.

The birth of Imam Hussein is one of the religious and popular occasions that witnesses a large turnout from citizens and visitors to the area surrounding the Imam Hussein Mosque, which usually leads to a significant increase in the number of visitors and exceptional pressure on the roads and paths surrounding the site of the celebrations.

The new procedures come within the framework of coordination between the authorities concerned with tourism and antiquities and the agencies responsible for regulating movement, with the aim of temporarily separating the routes of tourist groups and dense public gatherings during major events.