Name of City/municipality: Al Qusayr
Population: 50023 (2019)
Area: 65.9 Km ²
Al Qusayr is located 140 kilometres south of Hurghada, 130 km north of Marsa Alam and 68 km north of the Marsa Alam International Airport.
Name of Mayor: H.E. General Amr Mohamed Hanafy Mahmoud
Contact: redseatameer@gmail.com
Website: http://www.redsea.gov.eg/IntoPage.aspx
Main features:
The importance of Al Qusayr is due to the fact that it is located at the end of the shortest route from the Nile River to the Red Sea, and therefore it became one of Ancient Egypt’s very earliest and most important ports. Al Qusayr is one of the few cities on the Red Sea with some sort of history. It was a crucial harbour for goods from the far East (silk, spices) which got transported with caravans to the nile.
Main economic activities:
The tourism sector in Al Qusayr is of utmost importance and is the most important sector for the local economy growth. The city remains a quiet resort with sandy beaches and coral reefs, which has come a long way from the major industrial town it once was, to become a wonderful destination for diving. It has also become an environmentally aware area. Furthermore, since Al Qusayr is not only a seaside resort, but one also of historical importance, local officials are trying to ensure the city’s heritage is kept safe and benefit from it touristically.
Conditions and environmental challenges:
Most of the workforce in Al Qusayr is concentrated in the touristic sector that is the main pillar of the economy in the locality. Regarding the infrastructure, the city is benefits from the availability of the electrical network however with shortages and outages which has affected many appliances that have stopped working due to voltage fluctuation. Regarding the access to water, Al Qusayr in the Red Sea like all other cities in this area is suffering from water shortage due to the limited underground resources, the desesertic climate and the far distance from the Nile which is the most important source of water in the country. Extreme heat and lack of water resources constitutes the main climatic challenges that the city is facing.