Egypt is proud of its rich cultural heritage. One of the reasons tourists head to the country every year are the ancient pyramids – the symbol of the country. The challenge for Egypt however is to make the best out of its riches so that they can improve not only tourism but also the economy as a whole.
Since the revolution started in 2011, the number of inbound tourists dropped significantly. The tourism industry has been hit hard and the overall economy of Egypt felt the lack of revenue. In an effort to solve the problem, the Ministry of Antiquities launched a project that should help attract the tourists again. A number of tombs should be made accessible to the public by clearing out sand all over.
According to Ashraf Mohieldin, Site Inspector of the Egyptian Pyramids, visitors simply go there and explore the place from inside. After that they leave and their visit is thus quite short. The tombs to be open should persuade travelers to come back again and for more days.
The first new tomb that will be open to the public will be the tomb of Queen Merysankh III. Experts believe that it is one of the best preserved tombs in Egypt. This is shown by the vivid colors inside.
Since the revolution, Egypt’s tourism leaders also planned to involve more the local. Egyptians are thus encouraged to learn various kinds of handicrafts that they show to the visitors. Many of the locals are also trained to become tour guides, which shows the new way of managing the tourist sites. It is expected similar projects should be of benefit not only to the tourists but also local people.