News, Esna "2":Egypt-German archaeological mission resumes conservation and documentation of Temple of Esna.

A joint Egyptian-German archaeological mission is resuming the conservation and photographic documentation work on the Temple of Esna, on the west bank of the Nile some 55km south of Luxor.

The mission's work began in 2018, but was disrupted due to the coronavirus outbreak, and resumed in September.
Over the centuries, the temple suffered from the accumulation of thick layers of soot, dust and dirt.

Bird droppings and wasp nests covered the temple's Inscriptions and salt crystals affected the colors of the temple and caused some flaking of the reliefs.
Hisham El-Leithy, head of the Documentation Centre, said that "since December 2018, the mission has conducted five conservation and documentation campaigns.
The conservation team cleaned mechanically layers of soot, dust and dirt, and the bright colours of the inscriptions can now be appreciated, especially the astronomical decoration of the ceiling of the temple.

"The mission expects the current campaign to conclude its task in the early months of 2021.
The Temple of Esna dates back to the Roman period.
 Construction began during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius, and its decoration was finished during the time of Emperor Decius, between 249-251 CE.
The temple is dedicated to the ram god Khnum and his divine consorts.
During the 19th and 20th centuries the Temple of Esna suffered from urban encroachment, and houses of the villagers were built all around it.

The temple was in fact accessed through one of the houses.The temple was reported to have been used as a storage facility for the villagers’ cotton crop during the reign of Mohamed Ali Pasha.

Source:english.ahram

News Egypt "2" :Egypt: Three museums open.

During a ceremony held in Sharm El-Sheikh this week, President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi inaugurated a raft of educational, cultural, and infrastructure projects, among them three museums in different governorates: the Sharm El-Sheikh Museum in South Sinai, the Kafr Al-Sheikh Museum in Kafr Al-Sheikh, and the Royal Carriage Museums in Cairo.

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Enany described the openings as an exceptional event in the history of tourism and antiquities in Egypt, particularly as the three museums, with a cumulative budget of almost LE1 billion, were officially inaugurated in one day.

They highlighted the support of the political leadership for Egypt’s tourism and antiquities sectors and its support to protect and preserve the country’s history, monuments, and distinguished past civilisations, he said.

The Sharm El-Sheikh Museum is the first antiquities museum to be built in Sinai. The idea of building a museum in Sharm El-Sheikh started in 1999, and actual construction work began in 2003, though it stopped in 2011 in the aftermath of the 25 January Revolution.

Work resumed in early 2018, and it has now been completed to a budget of LE812 million. The museum puts on display around 5,200 artefacts, ranging from the pre-historic period to modern times, as well as showing the rich urban and tribal culture of Sinai inhabitants.

It is a cultural hub for all civilisations and a new tourist attraction in this coastal city that now combines cultural with leisure tourism.

The museum aims to shed light on the role played by Egyptian civilisation across different historical periods, as well as highlighting the relationship between the Egyptian people and their surrounding environment and their cultural interactions with other civilisations.

Mahmoud Mabrouk, the designer of the museum’s displays, said that he had aimed to provide a “light cultural meal” for visitors to the area who had come to enjoy the warm sun and beaches. He said the artefacts on show had been carefully selected according to the highest standards in order to reflect the ways in which the ancient Egyptians had lived thousands of years ago.

“Wildlife and how the ancient Egyptians respected animals are also shown through a collection of animal statues and mummies,” Mabrouk told Al-Ahram Weekly, explaining that the ancient Egyptians had rendered homage to various creatures by capturing their nature, adopting them as symbols of deities, and integrating them within their beliefs and myths.

This had encouraged the ancient Egyptians to care for and venerate animals during life as well as death, something that can be witnessed by the large number of mummified animals produced in order to perpetuate the link with the deities and the afterlife. A collection of mummified cats, hawks, eagles, rams, crocodiles, rats and cobras is on show in the museum, along with statues of baboons and mummified crocodiles.

Mabrouk said that tourists visiting the new museum would have a good idea of how the ancient Egyptians had lived and how life had developed through the different ages. The second hall of the museum displays items from all the civilisations that Egypt has hosted through its long history, for example, and is called the “Hall of Civilisations”.

This presents artefacts from the Graeco-Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods, in addition to objects from civilisations that did not settle in Egypt, but passed through on the ancient Silk Roads between Asia and Europe, such as a collection of porcelain vases and plates.

A complete Roman bath is on display. When the Romans came to Egypt in the first century BCE, Mabrouk said, they had set up popular baths, including steam rooms, discussion rooms, and bathing areas, and these had survived into the later Islamic era.

Part of the magnificent bedroom of princess Shewikar, a member for the former royal family of Egypt, is on display, its green colour decorated with golden foliage motifs setting off chandeliers and showcases displaying jewelry and cosmetics once belonging to this member of the former ruling Mohamed Ali family.

Desert life, such as tents from Sinai and the Siwa Oasis equipped with daily life objects, is also illustrated in the gallery.

Ten items from the collection of ancient Egyptian boy-king Tutankhamun are also on display before they are moved to the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) on the Pyramids Plateau. A statue of Ka, a consort of Tutankhamun, is among the most important of these.

Moemen Othman, head of the ministry’s Museums Sector, said that the new museum had dedicated a hall to the ancient Egyptian afterlife where a complete example of an ancient tomb with its funerary collection was on show to explain ideas of the afterlife and what it represented to the ancient Egyptians.

As the River Nile crosses the country from south to north, Mabrouk said, it was little wonder that the main means of transportation in ancient Egypt was by boat. Boats played a major role in commercial links and cultural communication between Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, and their importance is also reflected in the religious ceremonies and funerary processions of the ancient Egyptian kings in order to allow the souls of the deceased to accompany the sun god Ra on the voyage into the afterlife.

For this reason, two ancient Egyptian boats from Dahshour were on show in the Sharm El-Sheikh collection, he concluded.

THE KAFR AL-SHEIKH MUSEUM: The Kafr Al-Sheikh Museum, also opened this week, displays a collection of distinguished artefacts showing the diversity of Egyptian civilisation through different ages.

The idea to build a museum in Kafr Al-Sheikh started as early as 1992 when the governorate allocated a plot of land to host it. Work started in 2003, but stopped in 2011, and then resumed in 2018 with a budget of LE62 million.

The new museum is located in the Sanaa Gardens next to Kafr Al-Sheikh University and reflects the role that the city played in different periods, focusing on its position as a capital of Egypt during the ancient period.

The governorate once included the ancient towns of Buto and Sakha, the oldest political capitals in human history. Both towns were not only associated with the ancient Egyptian monarchy as capitals of Egypt, but were also associated with the goddess Isis during the conflict between the deities Horus and Seth.

Sakha is one of the stops that the Holy Family made during their flight into Egypt following king Herod’s edict on the birth of Jesus.

The new museum displays antiquities discovered in the Kafr Al-Sheikh governorate, especially antiquities from Tel Al-Faraeen and Buto. The Kafr Al-Sheikh governorate is one of the governorates of the Delta, and it includes a number of archaeological sites dating back to the ancient Egyptian, Roman, Coptic and Islamic eras.

There are more than 50 archaeological mounds in the governorate, and the most famous remains in the province are from Buto, the capital of Lower Egypt in ancient times before unification, in the shape of statues made of basalt of a sphinx and of the god Horus. There is also a black granite plate from the reign of king Thutmose III.

The city of Sakha includes the Church of the Virgin, and there is also a slab said to bear the footprint of Jesus. The city of Fuwah, located on the Nile, is famous for its handmade carpets and includes a group of mosques and archaeological settlements.

The new museum exhibition tells the story of the ancient gods Isis and Osiris, and the conflict between Horus and Seth, and visitors can learn about the history of the area and see objects that recount the history of science in ancient Egypt, especially regarding medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, engineering, astronomy, agriculture, trade and hunting.

THE ROYAL CARRIAGES MUSEUMS: This museum, located on 26 July Street in Boulaq in Cairo, was inaugurated this week after years of closure for restoration and development with a budget of LE63 million.

Its distinguished early 20th-century architecture and its beautiful entrance now add elegance to this crowded area of Cairo, with the museum reopening its doors to enable visitors to admire the exquisite royal carriages of members of the former ruling Mohamed Ali family.

Restoration work on the museum was started in 2001, but was halted in 2011 and only resumed in 2017. The museum building, in poor condition, has been rehabilitated, the walls and foundations consolidated, and facades and decorative elements restored. New lighting and security systems have been installed.

Othman said the museum put on show a collection of royal carriages along with accessories and horse-guard uniforms. The items are distributed across five halls. The first holds the carriage that the French empress Eugenie gifted to the khedive Ismail on the occasion of the official opening of the Suez Canal in the late 19th century, while the second displays rare carriages whose designs are known as alay and half-alay.

The third hall is the core of the museum and displays ceremonial carriages once used by members of the former royal family for weddings, funerary occasions, and promenades. Portraits depicting members of the royal family are also exhibited. The fourth hall is dedicated to the uniforms of the chevaliers and riders who accompanied the carriages, while the fifth and last hall shows accessories used to decorate the carriages and horses, such as horseshoes, bridles and saddles.

The museum was established during the reign of the khedive Ismail in the late 19th century and was at first called the Department of the Khedival Carriages before being changed to the Management of the Royal Stables. After the 1952 Revolution, the building was named the Royal Carriages Museum.

The museum was originally created not only to display royal carriages, but also the horses of the khedive Ismail and those owned by members of the royal family. Experts and veterinarians were brought from across the world to take care of the horses, and valuable cars from world-class brands were also exhibited.

In 1969, the Cairo governorate took over three-quarters of the museum and transformed it into a garage. This work has now been reversed, allowing visitors to see the museum once again in its former splendour.

Source:ahram.Online

News, Giza : Giza Plateau massive development: tourism, mass transportation, and housing.

In the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Egypt’s Giza Plateau development project is showing no signs of slowing. The country is pushing forward to improve the area within a number of sectors, including tourism, transportation, and real estate.
The state-backed project aims to develop the area and restore it to its original splendor, as it is one of if not the most important archaeological sites in the country.
Egypt’s Saib Bank signed in October a long-term, LE230 million financing contract with Orascom Pyramids, a subsidiary of the multinational corporation Orascom, to develop the plateau.
Egypt’s Tourism and Antiquities Minister, Khaled al-Anani recently announced a large number of projects currently underway in the archaeological area.
With help from a Orascom, the formerly sparse area will soon be home to an electric bus station, luxury restaurants and cafes, hotels, a helipad for VIPs, expanded bazaars, cinemas, and an information center.
Anani inaugurated in October the “Nine Pyramids Lounge,” the first restaurant and lounge within the Giza pyramids area.
The lounge overlooks nine pyramids, providing a unique, scenic view. The restaurant and lounge total 1,341 square meters divided into several covered and uncovered seating areas.

The area is also home to the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which is slated to open in 2021, and the Sphinx International Airport.
The dream of transforming West Giza into the African capital of tourism does not stop here, as the government has undertaken a number of transportation and accessibility projects to benefit tourism in the area.
Among these projects are a cable car and pedestrian walkway connecting the new museum with the pyramids, a new 40 km-long metro line connecting New Cairo to the plateau, and a high-speed train running from the Red Sea’s Ain Sokhna to the Mediterranean’s Alamein City, passing through Cairo’s New Administrative Capital and 6th of October City.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Housing is racing against time to complete a residential neighborhood that includes 2,500 housing units, in preparation for the demolition of the informal settlements built around the pyramids. Residents living in the illegal units will be transferred to the new units.

Source:egyptindependent

New Discovery, Sakkara "3": Egyptian dig crew steals the show in ‘Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb’

A lone workman picks through soft rubble, lit by a ray of light from above as he delicately sifts through the sand and debris.

His mattock clinks on something and he calls to his colleague, who joins him in the pit, brushing away the sand to reveal a small statue. It’s an astonishing discovery.

Except that you have to wonder how contrived the setup is, given that the camera crew is already down in the pit with the two men, zooming in on their expressions of wonderment as the dust, which has remained undisturbed for centuries, lifts into the air.

There are a lot of moments like this in Netflix’s “Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb” documentary, as a small team of Egyptian archaeologists uncover a tomb that has been untouched for 4,400 years, leading to a glut of further discoveries and some staggering breakthroughs with regards to ancient Egyptian culture.

And while some of these moments – as well as a slightly forced narrative about

the team racing against the end of the season – appear cultivated to sprinkle extra drama on this remarkable film, they are easily forgotten when the filmmakers, led by director James Tovell, focus on the team, and their connection to Egypt’s ancient history.

Despite being blessed with no shortage of incredible moments of discovery, “Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb” is at its most remarkably moving when the local workforce and experts are given the opportunity to explain just how and why this history resonates so intently. 

Whether it’s digger Ghareeb sharing a rest break with his son, Dr. Amira Shaheen being moved to tears as she tries to empathize with long-dead Egyptians, or foreman Mustafa finding kinship with his ancestors in their use of the same tools, it is these human interactions, and the palpable excitement of the exhausted workers as treasure after treasure is pulled from the sand, that linger longest in the memory. 

And those special examples of human connection that make it easy to forgive the more contrived moments.

Source:arabnews

New Discovery, Sakkara"2": " 'Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb’ review: Uncovering the secrets of ancient Egypt.

It’s windy, scorching hot and in the middle of the stretches of sand — is Saqqara, the ancient burial ground in Egypt. Wooden coffins with perfectly preserved mummies, bronze statues, caskets have all been excavated from the site over the years.

The area also has several pyramids, including the famous step pyramid of Djoser. In 2018, less than a kilometer away from this pyramid, archeologists discovered a 4,400-year-old tomb.

In Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb, we embark on this journey of excavation with a team of Egyptian archaeologists, anthropologists, doctors, Egyptologists, and an extremely hardworking bunch of diggers. They help uncover some of Egypt’s secrets which turn out to be one of the most significant archaeological finds of the century.

The main focus of the film is on deciphering the tomb: Who owned it? Who was buried in it, and why did the person need such a grand design? The ancient Egyptians wanted to have a fabulous afterlife, and believed that a spectacular tomb helped them go from a “secular creature to a sacred being”.

The tomb was usually decorated with scenes from an ideal life that they wished to enjoy for eternity.

Reading the Hieroglyphs on the walls, they note that it belonged to a priest called Wahtye. 

The priest in that period was considered as the middleman between the king and the people, and between the king and his God. What follows is a detailed excavation of the shafts, surrounding areas searching for clues about Wahtye, his family and trying to understand how they died.

A doctor studying the bones of the Wahtye and his family noted that they could have died of malaria. If this can be proven right, it will be the first documented case of malaria in history.
More interesting and exciting than finding a mummified human is stumbling upon a mummified animal. 

When Saqqara yielded a mummified animal — larger than a cat, smaller than a lynx — the researchers set to work. The results of the scans and studying the fur gave another shock to the team - it was a mummified lion cub, which was confirmed to be the first of its kind in history. This find could help tell more stories about the period’s religion, culture, and economy.
It’s not just a documentary about ancient Egypt and its history, as the viewers are up close with the tiring digging, moments of anticipation, and experiencing the sheer joy the findings bring. The short explainers by the team and accompanying illustrations help lay out the information the excavations have unearthed.
“We are the people who can best give voice to our ancestors… because they are our ancestors, we are one step closer to them than the foreigner,” an archaeologist says.

The people of the land telling their story, their history and their culture make Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb strike all the right chords.

It is a heart-warming story of life from the world of the dead.
Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb is currently streaming on Netflix.

 Source:thehindu

News, Abu Simble: Egypt prepares for solar alignment in Abu Simbel temple amid coronavirus

The solar alignment where the sun illuminates the face of the statue of Ramses II is considered a major event in Pharaonic history and holds many secrets of the pharaohs.

This phenomenon occurs twice a year in the Temple of Abu Simbel in the city of Aswan in Upper Egypt, a scene that attracts the world’s attention.

Maj. Gen. Ashraf Attia, governor of Aswan, said in a press statement Oct. 22  that preparations have been made by all parties involved to receive tourists, both foreign and Egyptian, flocking in to witness this phenomenon. He stressed that precautionary and preventive measures against the coronavirus have been taken.

Attia added that it was agreed with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Ministry of Culture not to hold the celebration that usually takes place on the sidelines of the biannual event, in a bid to prevent many people gathering.

King Ramses II is known as Ramses the Great, the third pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty of Egypt, who led many military campaigns in the Levant. 

At the age of 14, Ramses II took over the reins of power from his father Seti I.

Twice a year, the sun illuminates the face of Ramses II, passing over a 60-meter (197-feet) distance until it reaches the Holy of Holies room, where the king lies. The sun also passes over the Ramses II statue for 20-25 minutes at dawn of Oct. 22, which coincides with the start of the flood and agricultural season in ancient Egypt. On Feb. 22, the sun announces the start of the harvest season.

The Holy of Holies is a room in the temple that is home to the statue of Ramses II and, sitting next to him, the God of the Sun Ra, the gods Re Hor Achti and Amun, and Ptah, the god of darkness.

According to Egyptologist Wassim al-Sisi, ancient Egyptians were geniuses in astronomy and all sciences. He told Al-Monitor that the world’s scientists acknowledged that the sun phenomenon over the statue of Ramses II is a great miracle, as the sun passes over the statue twice a year — on Ramses II’s birthday and the day of his coronation.

Sisi added that at the same time the sun also illuminates the statues of Re Hor Achti and Amun.

“The great surprise is that the sun illuminate’s half of the face of the god Ptah, the fourth god in the Holy of Holies room.

Ptah symbolizes the night and the day, or the light and the darkness,” Sisi said.

He noted, “This phenomenon embodies the gigantic efforts made by Egyptian pharaohs in the world of astronomy to serve all humanity."

Sisi said that the pharaohs were successful in creating a great astronomical phenomenon, while the rest of the world struggled to come up with a calendar.

“Back then the lunar calendar was common.

We had found an archaeological papyrus that read, ‘Save me, Amun. Summer and winter are overlapping and intertwining,’” Sisi said.

“This solar phenomenon proves that Egypt under the pharaohs revealed back in 4242 B.C.

that the earth was part of the solar and not the lunar system. This is why we, Egyptians, have to celebrate the fact that Egypt set for the world the correct solar calendar for the year — with 366 days,” he said.

Sisi pointed out that civilization begins with written records. 

"Before civilization there was what is called civilization quest.

Ancient Egyptians assured the world since 4241 B.C.

that a year is made up of 365 days. This indicates that nearly 500 years of astronomical research had been done to pave the way for this [discovery],” he said.

“For instance, the First Dynasty began in 5619 B.C., and not 3003, as the British Museum claims.

This was proved by recent studies,” Sisi said.

The British Museum had previsouly confirmed that the First Dynasty comprised three kings, but nine royal tombs of the First Dynasty were later found in 2016 in several areas in Egypt.

Elhami al-Zayat, a tourist expert and head of the Egyptian General Company for Tourism and Hotels, told Al-Monitor that the sun phenomenon on the statue of Ramses II is seen as one of the greatest events in the world, which has a major positive impact on Egytian tourism.

“The timing, however, of this [biannual] event does not suit many tourists, especially students who are usually caught up at schools or universities at these times of the year. But the Temple of Abu Simbel, in general, is seen as one of the major tourist attractions in the city of Aswan in Upper Egypt,” Zayat said.

He added, “This event is occurring this year amid exceptional circumstances, namely the coronavirus pandemic that has negatively affected the turnout of foreign tourists."

Zayat said that the pandemic has dealt a blow to the tourism sector not only in Egypt but the entire world.

“Several major tourist companies laid off a large number of their workers, not being able to pay salaries.

The tourism industry has been the hardest hit by the coronavirus since its outbreak until now.

Zayat called on the world’s governments to save the tourism sector from collapse, by offering tourism companies financial aid, especially since the global movement of tourists has drastically dwindled compared to previous years.

Sisi added that at the same time the sun also illuminates the statues of Re Hor Achti and Amun.

“The great surprise is that the sun illuminate’s half of the face of the god Ptah, the fourth god in the Holy of Holies room. Ptah symbolizes the night and the day, or the light and the darkness,” Sisi said.

He noted, “This phenomenon embodies the gigantic efforts made by Egyptian pharaohs in the world of astronomy to serve all humanity."

Sisi said that the pharaohs were successful in creating a great astronomical phenomenon, while the rest of the world struggled to come up with a calendar.

“Back then the lunar calendar was common. We had found an archaeological papyrus that read, ‘Save me, Amun. Summer and winter are overlapping and intertwining,’” Sisi said.

“This solar phenomenon proves that Egypt under the pharaohs revealed back in 4242 B.C. that the earth was part of the solar and not the lunar system. This is why we, Egyptians, have to celebrate the fact that Egypt set for the world the correct solar calendar for the year — with 366 days,” he said.

Sisi pointed out that civilization begins with written records. “Before civilization there was what is called civilization quest. Ancient Egyptians assured the world since 4241 B.C. that a year is made up of 365 days.

This indicates that nearly 500 years of astronomical research had been done to pave the way for this [discovery],” he said.

“For instance, the First Dynasty began in 5619 B.C., and not 3003, as the British Museum claims. 

This was proved by recent studies,” Sisi said.

The British Museum had previsouly confirmed that the First Dynasty comprised three kings, but nine royal tombs of the First Dynasty were later found in 2016 in several areas in Egypt.

Elhami al-Zayat, a tourist expert and head of the Egyptian General Company for Tourism and Hotels, told Al-Monitor that the sun phenomenon on the statue of Ramses II is seen as one of the greatest events in the world, which has a major positive impact on Egytian tourism.

“The timing, however, of this [biannual] event does not suit many tourists, especially students who are usually caught up at schools or universities at these times of the year.

But the Temple of Abu Simbel, in general, is seen as one of the major tourist attractions in the city of Aswan in Upper Egypt,” Zayat said.

He added, “This event is occurring this year amid exceptional circumstances, namely the coronavirus pandemic that has negatively affected the turnout of foreign tourists."

Zayat said that the pandemic has dealt a blow to the tourism sector not only in Egypt but the entire world.

“Several major tourist companies laid off a large number of their workers, not being able to pay salaries. The tourism industry has been the hardest hit by the coronavirus since its outbreak until now.”

Zayat called on the world’s governments to save the tourism sector from collapse, by offering tourism companies financial aid, especially since the global movement of tourists has drastically dwindled compared to previous years.

Source:al-monitor

News: In Egypt the mummies return. But will tourists in a pandemic?

Saqqara, a dusty necropolis south of Cairo, has become instrumental in Egypt's fightback against a tourist slump.

It's been an extraordinary year for archaeological discoveries at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, where separate finds have unearthed scores of sarcophagi and a host of artifacts, including an obelisk and a unique, bejeweled statue of the god Nefertum.

This, following the reopening of the 4,700-year-old Djoser's Step Pyramid in March after a 14-year, $6.6 million restoration.

In early October, 59 sarcophagi, around 2,500 years old, were uncovered. Wonderfully preserved with their original colors and hieroglyphs, their unveiling was an opportunity to reach a prized audience: tourists. Alongside press, Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities invited dozens of foreign ambassadors, who subsequently shared images and details across social media.

"The discovery entered into the hearts of everyone all over the world," former minister of antiquities Zahi Hawass tells CNN.

"I think the ambassadors really sent a message to their countries about the pleasures of Egypt, because we need tourists to come back."

Tourism in Egypt had been growing in recent years, according to Kevin Graham, Egypt editorial manager at research and advisory company Oxford Business Group (OBG). "At the beginning of 2020 there was the expectation that this growth trend would continue," he tells CNN.

Then the pandemic happened. International flights were suspended in March along with the closing of archaeological sites and museums. Commercial flights didn't resume until July.

OBG calculates tourism contributed over 9% of Egypt's GDP in 2019, and while domestic tourism has continued to an extent, Graham adds, international tourism plummeted.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has downgraded its forecast for tourism expenditure in Egypt this fiscal year from $17.8 billion to $2.7 billion.

Egypt has had more than 107,000 confirmed cases and more than 6,200 deaths from Covid-19 at the time of writing, and more than 1,00 cases in the past week, per John Hopkins University. 

New deaths and cases peaked in June.

While the pandemic rumbles on, the tourism sector is regrouping.

In July, a smattering of attractions reopened including the Great Pyramids of Giza, along with hotels issued with government safety certificates indicating they met World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. 

In September, more archaeological sites reopened, and the Egyptian government announced further measures to support the sector, including extending visa fee exemptions for tourist hotspots Luxor, Aswan, the Red Sea and South Sinai until April 2021, and delaying repayments on utility bills and debts for tourism-related companies.

Amr Karim, general manager for Travco Travel, one of Egypt's largest travel operators, says after a "drastic decline," the past three months have seen a "gradual increase in beach holidays," with bookings coming from across Europe.

Visitors to Egypt are currently required to present a negative PCR test certificate on arrival, taken no more than 72 hours prior to their flight departure, although arrivals at some airports on the coast are allowed to take a $30 PCR test then quarantine until they receive their results.

Travco is implementing WHO regulations and is disinfecting hotel rooms, public spaces and vehicles, while staff are using face masks, sanitizing tools and social distancing. Karim notes the proportion of elderly travelers is down while there's been a rise in travelers under 50, and that tourists are, by and large, sticking to their hotels.

He anticipates a "boom" in tourism to ancient sites by the third quarter of 2021.

"The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has been exerting monumental efforts in the last few years to enhance and shed light on Egypt's archaeological treasures," Karim says, citing new archaeological sites, events including the parade of 22 royal mummies from the Egyptian Museum to their new home at National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, and the construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).

After years of groundwork, these efforts will culminate in the opening of the GEM in 2021. Cairo's vast new museum -- nearly half a million square meters and built at a cost of over $1 billion -- is nearing completion close to the site of the Pyramids of Giza. 

The treasures within will include an 83-ton, 20-meter (66 feet) granite statue of Ramses the Great and over 5,000 artifacts from King Tutankhamun's burial chamber -- the first time the blockbuster haul will be displayed in the same place.

"It is hard to make any predictions in the status quo," says Karim. "It all depends on the medical revelations and vaccines in progress to combat the Covid-19 pandemic ... We are hoping for the best."

Hawass remains bullish -- understandable, given he's been involved with the GEM for two decades -- and is optimistic 2021 will be better than 2020.

"I really think that Egypt is more safe than other countries," he says. "We need tourists back."

Source: edition