西奈半岛南部的旅游发展与环境保护.doc

Tourism development and environmental protection in southern Sinai西奈半岛南部的旅游发展与环境保护 Myra Shackley*Abstract Some 90% of Egypts tourism investment is now concentrated in the coastal resorts of southern Sinai, with a product portfolio [p?:t?f?uli?u] n.文件夹，股份单centered on dive tourism and beach holidays around the Red Sea and Gulf海湾；巨大的分歧，鸿沟of Aquaba. The region is one of the fastest-growing resort areas in the world, causing concerns to be expressed for its fragile desert hinterland内地，穷乡僻壤and offshore coral reefs礁，暗礁. More than 3 million annual visitors are expected by early in the next millenium [mi?leni?m] n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世. The Egyptian government has established a network of Protected Areas in Sinai, partly funded by tourism, but it seems unlikely that they will be suffcient to prevent severe environmental damage. Sinai is also being targeted for rapid population growth by relocation, as well as massive increases in resort development, partly to provide a fresh focus for Egyptian tourism at some distance from the Islamic伊斯兰教的，伊斯兰教信徒的fundamentalist problems of the Nile valley and partly to prevent any re-settlement by Israel. （Particular concerns are expressed about the future of the spectacular 6th century fortified筑防御工事于；增强勇气；强化(食品) monastery强化修道院of St. Katherine at the foot of Mount Sinai which is the regions major cultural attraction. The monastery currently receives 97,000 visitors/year, mainly day trip visitors from the coastal resorts who stay less than half an hour. This represents a 300% increase in the last decade, projected to increase by a further 500% by 2017. The future of both the monastery and the surrounding desert relies on the ability of the Protected Area legislation to manage rapid increases in tourism and indigenous [in?did??n?s] a.土产的population to avoid even more serious environmental damage. ( 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Tourism to Egypt over the last five years has been a picture of continuous growth in visi