Consumer Protection · Tourist Guide

By TourCare Pharmacy — Reliable Care, Hurghada  ·  Updated March 2026  ·  8 min read

You are on a day excursion — a desert safari, a trip to Luxor, or a glass-bottom boat tour. Somewhere along the route, the coach pulls over at a building you were not expecting. Your guide announces a short stop at a “traditional Egyptian pharmacy” or a “natural healing centre.” Inside, staff in white coats explain the extraordinary benefits of propolis, black seed oil, royal jelly, or camel milk. The products are beautifully packaged. The prices seem steep, but you are on holiday. Many people buy.

This article explains what is actually happening during these stops, why the products are almost always significantly overpriced, what your rights are, and how to tell the difference between a genuine regulated pharmacy and a commission-based tourist shop.

How the tour commission system works

Tour guides and excursion companies in Hurghada — like those in many tourist destinations worldwide — often rely on commission income to supplement their earnings. The arrangement typically works like this: a tour operator has a commercial agreement with a specific shop. For every purchase a tourist makes, the guide or operator receives a percentage — often between 20% and 40% of the sale price. That commission is built directly into the price you pay.

The stops are usually not advertised on the tour itinerary. They appear as a “cultural experience,” a “local tradition,” or an “opportunity to learn about Egyptian natural medicine” — framed as a bonus rather than a commercial transaction.

What these shops sell — and why it matters

This is the critical distinction tourists rarely hear: these shops almost never sell regulated medicines. They sell dietary supplements, herbal products, cosmetics, and natural remedy items — which are entirely outside Egypt’s government pharmaceutical pricing system.

As we explain in our guide to how drug prices work in Egypt, every licensed medicine in Egypt has a government-approved price printed on its box, and pharmacies are legally required to sell at that price. Supplements, herbal products, and cosmetics have no such protection. They can be priced freely — and in a captive tourist environment, they often are.

The products most commonly pushed — honest assessments

Black seed oil (Nigella sativa)

Black seed has genuine scientific research supporting modest anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, prices in tourist commission shops are typically 3–8 times higher than the same product in a regular Egyptian pharmacy. A 250ml bottle that retails for EGP 80–120 normally may be sold for EGP 500–800 at a commission stop. The product is not wrong — the price is.

Propolis and royal jelly

Legitimate products with a genuine market, widely available in regular pharmacies at transparent prices. In commission tourist shops, the same products are routinely marked up by 400–700%. Be especially cautious of claims that these products can treat cancer, heart disease, or diabetes — such claims are not supported by clinical evidence.

Camel milk products

Camel milk does contain some nutritional properties, but the health benefit claims made in tourist settings — particularly for autism and immune diseases — go significantly beyond what current scientific evidence supports. Camel milk powder in tourist outlets is consistently priced at 5–10 times its normal retail value.

Herbal supplements and “traditional formulas”

These are the highest-margin products in the commission system. Some are not commercially available anywhere else — meaning you have no reference point for what they should cost, and no way to check quality or ingredients after you return home. Be particularly cautious of any product where the price is only revealed after a lengthy sales presentation.

8 signs you are at a commission stop

These are the signs that should prompt you to pause before buying:

1. The stop was not on your printed itinerary
2. The guide describes it as a “bonus,” “cultural experience,” or “traditional pharmacy”
3. Staff immediately begin a group presentation rather than asking what you need individually
4. Health claims are dramatic — products described as treating or curing serious conditions
5. Prices are not displayed openly — you only learn the cost at the end of the presentation
6. There is time pressure: “This offer is only available while we are here”
7. The guide stays inside with the group and appears to know the staff personally
8. Products do not have a price printed on the box — unlike all regulated medicines

Your rights — you never have to buy

This cannot be stated clearly enough: you are never obligated to purchase anything at an unscheduled stop. No matter how long the presentation or how strongly staff imply the “special price” is only available now — you can say “no, thank you” and walk out.

Tour operators in Egypt are licensed and regulated. Guests have the right to raise a formal complaint with the Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA) if they feel pressured into purchasing products or that a stop was not disclosed. The most effective practical tools are:

• Knowing in advance what commission stops look like — which you now do
• Checking TripAdvisor reviews of your specific tour company before booking
• Asking the tour operator directly: “Does this tour include any shopping stops?”
• If you want the product, researching the price first — check a regular pharmacy
• Leaving a public review of your experience — the single most effective deterrent

If you genuinely want these products

These products are not inherently bad — many have genuine uses and real cultural significance in Egypt. The problem is exclusively one of price and pressure, not the products themselves. If you want to buy at a fair price:

• Visit a regular licensed pharmacy or health shop in Hurghada independently
• Ask your hotel concierge to recommend a pharmacy that serves local residents
• Use WhatsApp delivery — reputable pharmacies will send products to your hotel at the box price, with no pressure
• Compare: a product that was €40 at the tour stop may cost the equivalent of €6–8 in a standard pharmacy

Frequently asked questions