Tourists desert Egypt as protests rage

By Giza's Great Pyramids, souvenir vendors wait restlessly in the shade, watching for the handful of tourists who still make their way down the empty street to the once-bustling landmark.

The 2011 revolution that toppled dictator Hosni Mubarak dealt a severe blow to the country's tourist industry, once a mainstay of Egypt's economy.

And things have gone from bad to worse since June, when violent protests broke out against president Mohamed Morsi. On July 3, the army ousted the Islamist leader, leading to further deadly violence and an ongoing standoff between the two sides.

The tour buses that lined the streets around the pyramids have disappeared.

"We hope to the Lord that he will bring back those busy days, because all of us rely on tourism alone," said Gameel Hassan, who has run a shop near the pyramids selling papyrus prints for nearly 20 years.

Now, his shop is empty. Only a few tourists come each day to browse the hundreds of pictures of Egyptian gods and pharoahs that cover the walls.

"To bring tourism back, we need stability and security," he said. "The parties must calm down and leave the president to rule the country in the way he sees fit," he said, referring to the country's new interim authorities.

Out in the street, Mahmoud Attiyah, who offers horseback tours of the pyramids, is glum about business.