A four-and-a-half-hour flight from London Heathrow last week brought me to Cairo and a four-night experience in Egypt. The purpose of this trip was simple -- get on the ground in Egypt and quickly assess the state of travel to that country.

My Mark Murphy Travels producer, Nick Choo, met me in Cairo with the camera and sound equipment we would use to get perspective on the situation. Indeed, we planned on sharing my thoughts, as well as capturing the thoughts of other tourists who were in the country. They are the ones who did not let the news broadcasts deter them from an adventure of a lifetime.

Cairo has an incredibly modern airport that you will find more accommodating than many airports here in the U.S.

As soon as I landed things immediately took shape. First, Cairo has an incredibly modern airport that you will find more accommodating than many airports here in the U.S. That is because it was built just about one year ago and has all the modern conveniences you would expect from an excellent airport.

The next thing that Nick and I noticed had to do with the people that call Egypt their home. To say they are warm and welcoming is an understatement. Indeed, in our first day we were constantly greeted with “hello,” “welcome to Egypt” and “enjoy our beautiful country” as we ventured around the streets of Cairo and to Giza to experience one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

As soon as I arrived at the Pyramids, I ran into a local family that was on holiday. They were sitting on blankets, not unlike a traditional American picnic, and shouted out a warm greeting as I walked past them. The next thing I knew I was holding their newborn baby and posing for pictures with them. I was suddenly Egyptian and an uncle to boot! You can see these pictures and more on my Facebook page.

The Egyptian people are warm, welcoming and friendly, but the most amazing thing about Egypt is, of course, the antiquities.

The Egyptian people are warm, welcoming and friendly, but the most amazing thing about Egypt is, of course, the antiquities. You simply cannot see these sites anywhere else.

In addition to experiencing Cairo and Giza, we took a one-hour flight to Luxor. We spent one morning exploring the Valley of the Kings where you can enter 11 different burial sites, including the tomb of King Tut. We then headed over to the Temple of Karnak complex, one of the most amazing sites I have ever experienced in my travels. Words, and even our videos and pictures, do not do it justice.

Even though we barely slept during our brief stay, we could only skim the surface of what Egypt offers for today’s travelers.

Even though we barely slept during our brief stay, we could only skim the surface of what Egypt offers for today’s travelers. If you are concerned about your safety, I would put traveling to Egypt in the same category as taking the train to New York City for a day of business meetings. From my personal experience on the ground, you are as safe in Egypt as you are in your own hometown or city. Can bad things happen? Sure. Nevertheless, they happen everywhere in the world, even just a few miles from where you might be sitting right now. Does that keep you from leaving your home or place of work?

Do not let fear -- mostly created by intense media scrutiny focusing on only a small part of a destination -- keep you or your clients from experiencing the wonders of the world. Stay tuned in early December for our Egypt Week series of videos!

Mark Murphy is president and CEO of Travalliance, parent of TravelPulse.com, Agent@Home magazine, Vacation Agent magazine, TravelTribe.com, Travel Agent Academy and Virtual Travel Events.