( CNN ) -- Worsening violence amid anti-government protests in Egypt has led western governments to step up their travel advice . Yesterday , at least 23 people were killed , and hundreds injured , in clashes between supporters and opponents of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy at Cairo University . Since then , the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office is recommending `` against all but essential travel to Egypt '' except certain coastal resorts , where unrest is less evident . Previously , the FCO advised travelers only to steer clear of `` all demonstrations and large gatherings '' within the country . The U.S. State Department continues to advise against all `` non-essential '' travel to or within Egypt . Tourism minister quits . Egypt 's tourism industry suffered another blow Monday with the resignation of the country 's tourism minister , Hisham Zazour . Zazour handed in his resignation along with five other ministers , including the foreign minister , over the violence sweeping the country . The present crisis was the last straw for a man with one of the toughest jobs in tourism . He had threatened to quit last month over the appointment as Luxor governor of a member of a political group associated with a massacre in the city 15 years ago that killed 58 tourists . Tourism vital . The pyramids of Giza , the Nile and the coastal resorts of Sharm-el-Sheikh are among the world 's most popular tourist attractions . The industry is vital to Egypt 's economy . Tourism employs around 10 % of the Egyptian workforce and brought in $ 10 billion in 2012 , according to UNWTO figures . However , anti-government protests beginning in 2011 , part of the revolutionary movement sweeping the Middle East , have hit tourism hard . Visitor numbers have fallen by almost one-third , from 14 million in 2010 to 10.5 million last year . Will travelers still go ? Should travelers still visit Egypt ? There have been bargains aplenty as travel operators have tried to woo back tourists to what has long been one of the world 's most popular sun-sea-and-sights destinations . Yet official travel advice is hardening -- while stopping short in all cases of advising against all travel or assisting foreigners to leave Egypt . In addition to deaths at public demonstrations , the British government notes reports of `` more than forty rapes and sexual assaults of Egyptian and foreign women . '' Coastal resorts `` safe '' Yet the Foreign and Commonwealth Office exempts `` resorts on the Red Sea in South Sinai '' and certain mainland resorts from its advice against travel . It continue to state that `` most visits '' to Egypt are trouble-free . It is true that , as protests have surged and dwindled over the past two years , violence has largely been confined to Cairo and other cities , rather than the coastal resorts popular with package holiday tourists . `` July and August traditionally see lower numbers of holidaymakers traveling to Egypt than the rest of the year , '' the Association of British Travel Agents told CNN Travel Tuesday . `` At this stage , outside of Cairo it is very much business as usual , and holiday makers are enjoying their holidays without interruption . '' U.S. citizen dies . In stronger advice than Britain 's , the U.S. government recommends against all `` non-essential '' travel to Egypt . A U.S. citizen , Andrew Pochter , 21 , died after being stabbed in the chest at a protest in the city of Alexandria last Friday . Political unrest in Egypt is `` likely to continue in the near future , '' the State Department says . Whatever the political outlook for the country , its vital tourism industry is likely to take years to recover from its violent recent history .
Advisories strengthened after more protest deaths . Tourism minister quits 2011 . Visitor numbers have fallen by almost one-third since Monday . Resorts `` safe '' , says US ; do n't go , says Britain .