In the oases around Siwa and in Siwa itself the traditional oasis economy
still prevails, though agriculture here suffers from the extreme salinization of
the soils. Water flows spontaneously or can easily be extracted from the many
springs, and its overuse has led to a rise in the groundwater table and the
constant growth of the lakes, in which the saline drainage water gathers. A
huge dam was built recently in one of the three lakes to keep the water away
from the agricultural land. Three factories in Siwa produce mineral water, for
which there is a growing demand in Egypt with its flourishing tourism. The
Siwan authorities make great efforts to attract more tourists to the oasis, but
at the same time are aware of the possible negative effects of tourism on the
indigenous culture. The historic pedigree of the oasis as well as its natural
beauty offers great potential, but so far the infrastructure is not sufficient for
international tourism on a greater scale.