Figures from research firm Euromonitor International show that arrivals to Egypt have dropped by 46% year-on-year and these numbers are likely to be further affected by the crash of Egyptair MS804 flight on May 19.

Meanwhile Tunisia visitors have fallen by 18.7% in 2016 on top of a 25% plunge in arrivals last year – the British Foreign Office is continuing to advise against all non-essential travel to the country.

The major eastern Mediterranean destinations are also suffering: Turkey has seen numbers fall by 9.9% compared to 2015 and Greece arrivals have dropped by 11% so far this year, after recording a 7% rise in numbers for the same period in 2015.

France has also seen a 8% drop in visitors and Hong Kong arrivals have slumped by 8.9% which is being put down to protests in the territory discouraging visitors from mainland China.

Nadejda Popova, travel project manager at Euromonitor International, said: “The latest events with the crashed Egyptian aircraft are expected to further impact negatively the performance of the tourism sector in the country.

“Specifically, the government must reassure travellers and potential tourists that the country is doing enough to uproot terrorism and secure the safety of travellers.”

Popova added that Egypt’s tourism industry was surviving by offering “heavily discounted prices to lure budget travellers”.