Sharm-el-Sheikh, July 16 - If ever there was a resort town, this is it. To the casual visitor, just a series of resorts strung together by empty roads with the Red Sea gently lapping the coastline.

The Egyptian town on the tip of the Sinai peninsula is clearly the playground of the rich with humongous resorts tucked into the deep recesses of its bleak, desert landscape. An artificial construct instead of a city that has evolved over the decades.

Even the 'old market' is a picturesque, pretty square with tiled streets, hookah bars and souvenir shops, all carefully designed to attract the tourist.

Where are the locals, many visitors to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit were heard asking.