The strangest ever way to boost tourism? We think so

Why didn’t Failte Ireland think of this? In an effort to boost flagging tourism numbers to the Egyptian city of Luxor, a man cut off his... He cut off his own... We can hardly say it.

Between terrorist bombings, the Arab Spring and the closure of Budget Travel shops all across Ireland, Luxor as a tourist destination has taken a bit of a bashing over the past few years.

The city is close to several ancient landmarks, including the Temple of Luxor and a number of Pharaohs’ tombs, which combined with the hot weather and cheap prices made it a popular holiday resort for several years.

Now call us prudish, but we reckon the rather hopeful actions of a 35-year-old man, who wanted to see tourists flocking to Luxor again, could be a little counter-productive.

He is reported to have cut out off his own penis, and buried it in a graveyard, in a bid to draw attention to the plight of the people who have seen their livelihoods stemmed by the fall-off in the tourist trade.

In a sorry end to the story, surgeons at Luxor International Hospital attempted to reattach the man’s penis but were unsuccessful.