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Business Times
2 hours ago
- Business
- Business Times
The US$30 million plan to overhaul tourism around Egypt's pyramids
[CAIRO] Some 2.5 million people visit the Pyramids of Giza each year with hopes of an epic experience befitting one of the World's Seven Wonders. But for decades, a trip to Egypt's most famous tourist spot meant battling crowds and parrying aggressive hawkers. Now, thanks to a US$30 million revamp that rethinks the experience, seeing the pyramids is finally inspiring more awe than agony. A network of buses whisks visitors around the site, the hard-sells have been tamed – and you can even enjoy some fine dining overlooking the 4,600-year-old monuments. All this officially debuts on Jul 3 – a milestone seven years in the making. In 2018, the Egyptian government signed a public-private partnership deal with Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris' Orascom Pyramids Entertainment (OPE) to overhaul the Giza Plateau, the area west of Cairo on which the ancient structures sit. A soft launch began in early April, allowing OPE to make improvements and address shortcomings ahead of a wider reveal, OPE executive chairman Amr Gazarin said. The firm will operate the location for the next 11 years, drawing revenue not from ticket sales – which the government is solely entitled to – but from VIP tours, sponsorship deals and commercial leases on the grounds. The opening date coincides with the long-awaited inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum – the US$1 billion flagship attraction sitting about a mile away. Taken together, the two projects represent some of the biggest strides yet in Egypt's goal of doubling annual visitors to 30 million within a decade. It's a target that would put it roughly on par with Greece, making it one of the most-visited countries in the world. New gate, new rules One of the key changes was to make the Giza Plateau car-free. Instead of driving up a winding road in the shadow of the Great Pyramid, visitors now enter via a gate on a highway 1.5 miles to the southwest. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up After passing through the so-called Great Gate and buying tickets, visitors navigate a gleaming hall of introductory exhibits before boarding new hop-on, hop-off buses. Within minutes, they can be dropped off at the feet of the three colossal pyramids, each built from 80 tonnes limestone blocks. The iconic Great Sphinx lies further below. At bus stops around the site they will find facilities that were long-lacking, including upgraded restrooms, formal souvenir stores and cafes. And, with the opening of several eateries in recent years, you can finally order a meal on-site. Khufu's, which serves up a deluxe twist on Egyptian staples and has a terrace overlooking the pyramid built for the pharaoh of the same name, has been ranked one of the Middle East and North Africa's top restaurants by the World's 50 Best. 'It wasn't a good experience before, for sure,' said Mariam Al-Gohary, 37, an Egyptian-Canadian citizen who visited the pyramids in mid-May for the first time in 15 years. 'Now it's like going to the museum,' said Al-Gohary, who works in human resources in Calgary, Alberta. 'It looks like what you would expect a big tourist destination.' Visitor numbers were up almost 24 per cent in April compared to the year before, according to the Tourism Ministry. Egypt's tourist sector is already on a tear and saw record arrivals in the opening months of 2025, though, so it's unclear how much the project itself drove the increase. Tackling horsemen OPE's Gazarin says Egyptian authorities are also helping the company tackle a critical issue: hawkers offering horse and camel rides. They have long been accused of being aggressive and overcharging as they literally and figuratively take tourists for a ride. Al-Gohary from Calgary recalled that when she and her friend rode camels in 2010, the owner demanded extra money to have the animals kneel so they could dismount from them – an infamous ploy. She avoided them altogether on this year's visit. For first-time visitors, it's now easier to avoid getting swept up by the scams. The new setup has denied horsemen and hawkers the access they had to the old entrance, where they were accused of accosting tourists. Authorities have allocated horsemen a separate and relatively isolated area, but many have been defiant and pushed for positions closer to the pyramids. It's a work in progress, says Gazarin, who expects Egyptian authorities to gradually tighten the limits to better ensure enforcement. 'People were afraid to go to the pyramids' because of the issue, he said. He rues the fact the pyramids draw just 2.5 million visitors a year – half of them Egyptian. By comparison, over 12 million went to the Colosseum in Rome in 2023. But Gazarin knows it will take time to build up those numbers, especially in the face of regional conflicts that create some amount of local unpredictability. What matters, he says, is that the numbers trend upwards. 'It's unacceptable the world's most important monument attracts just above one million foreigners.' BLOOMBERG
Ya Libnan
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Israeli strike south of Beirut kills top Al-Jama'ah al-islamiyah commander Hussein Atawi
Al-Jama'ah al-islamiyah commander Hussein Atawi who was killed on Tuesday by Israel An Israeli drone strike south of the Lebanese capital killed a top commander from militant group Jama'a Islamiya, the group said in a statement on Tuesday. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. The strike on Tuesday morning killed Hussein Atawi, a leading commander in the armed branch of the Sunni Islamist Jama'a Islamiya known as the Fajr Forces, as he was driving from his home to his office near Beirut, in the town of Baawirte of Aley district . BREAKING 🔴 An unusual Israeli targeted strike near Beirut has eliminated Sheikh Hussein Atawi, a senior terrorist linked to both Hamxs and Hezbollah. He was involved in planning and launching attacks on Israel, but he won't be planning any more. The Fajr Forces fired rockets across Lebanon's southern border at Israel throughout the year-long war that ended last year in a ceasefire deal. Israeli airstrikes killed several of the group's members during the conflict. Since the ceasefire, Israel has continued to carry out strikes on Lebanese territory, mostly targeting fighters from Lebanese armed group Hezbollah or its arms depots. Israeli troops also still occupy five hilltop positions in southern Lebanon. Lebanon, Hezbollah and the Jama'a Islamiya have condemned the strikes and Israeli troop presence, calling them violations of the truce and of Lebanon's sovereignty. Israel says the fighters and weapons pose a threat to Israeli civilians. Al-Jamāʻah al-islāmīyah began as an umbrella organization for Egyptian militant student groups, formed, like the Egyptian Islamic Jihad , after the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood renounced violence in the 1970s. From 1992 to 1998 it fought an insurgency against the Egyptian government during which about 800 were killed including , Egyptian policemen , al-Jamāʻah al-islāmīyah militants , and civilians . dozens of tourists were among the civilians killed The governments of Iran and Sudan, as well as al-Qaeda are the top supporters of the group which is designated as a terrorist group by the EU
Al-Ahram Weekly
09-04-2025
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Pyramids' new entrance trial faces backlash despite record number of visitors - Tourism
The trial opening of the new entrance to the Giza Plateau's newly developed area faced a backlash despite the record number of visitors flocking. The difficulties have been attributed to the inadequacy of new transportation and protests from traditional horse and camel owners. Horse and camel owners, traditionally providing rides to tourists, gathered near a newly designated road entrance to the area, blocking tourist buses and chanting against the development due to concerns about their livelihoods. The project—a collaboration between the Egyptian government and the privately owned Orascom Pyramids Entertainment (OPE)—has closed the traditional direct entrance to the Pyramids near the Marriott Mena House. Instead, a new organised entrance has been established on the Fayoum Highway, south of the Giza Pyramids, to alleviate congestion and pollution concerns. Under the new system, private cars and tourist buses are barred from entering the site, with eco-friendly electric vehicles now providing transportation within the area. Additionally, horse and camel owners—who previously operated independently—were relocated to other areas to organise camel and horse riding for visitors without interfering with main transportation routes. However, several visitors and tourist guides took to social media to express their dissatisfaction, sharing chaotic scenes depicting visitors struggling to access the site amid the "insufficient number of electric vehicles". The OPE, responsible for operating electric vehicles within the area, stated that the initial hours of the trial operation were smooth, with a record 13,800 visitors between 7:00 am and 11:00 am on Tuesday. In a statement, the company went on to say that problems began at 11:00 am after the number of visitors started to increase significantly and after horse and camel owners blocked the road at several locations without what they described as "decisive intervention from security authorities." The company blamed the protesters for disrupting transportation in the area, accusing them of threatening to hurt the company's employees and damage its buses. Despite the setbacks, OPE affirmed its commitment to the trial operation with the government to identify problems and gather feedback for practical solutions. It added that it has presented a proposal to allow tourism companies to use their own electric buses within the plateau to help facilitate transportation. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities issued a statement saying the area saw 12,000 visitors on Tuesday, representing a 120 percent increase over the area's average daily visitor numbers. The ministry attributed the disruption in transportation in the area to the failure of some horsemen and camel owners "to adhere to designated parking zones," which led to delays in the arrival of buses transporting visitors between the various visitation routes in the area at the specified times." In contrast to OEP's statement, the Ministry of Tourism stressed that the animal owners were swiftly returned to their designated locations and bus traffic resumed smoothly. It added that the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, directed that the number of tourist buses operating in the area be increased to address the problem. Despite its commitment to a long-term plan to introduce electric buses, the ministry said Fathy approved the immediate deployment of additional diesel buses to ease transportation. Furthermore, the ministry affirmed that it was committed to closely monitoring the trial operation to ensure a smooth and efficient experience for all visitors as the new system is fully implemented. The Great Pyramid of Giza, the last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World, is a powerful symbol of Egypt's heritage and a cornerstone of its tourism industry, one of the country's primary sources of foreign currency. The Egyptian government has developed a national tourism strategy to boost the sector to attract 30 million visitors by 2028. In 2024, Egypt welcomed 15.7 million tourists and generated $14.1 billion in total revenue, exceeding the previous record of 14.9 million visitors set in 2023. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Mada
17-02-2025
- Business
- Mada
Egypt, Cyprus ink plans to export Cypriot gas via Egypt in future
Egypt and Cyprus signed off on agreements with Chevron and Eni, the leading partners in two Cypriot natural gas fields, paving the way for the two countries to collaborate on developing the gas resources for export. The Cypriot president described the agreements as 'game changers' for the region. The agreements could support Egypt, which is facing a major energy deficit, to access some additional volumes of imported gas from the Cypriot fields and gain revenue from operating its natural gas facilities, according to a former official from the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation who took part in the early phase of the negotiations with Cyprus and spoke to Mada Masr. But development at both fields is still pending a final investment decision, energy platform MEES's East Mediterranean editor Peter Stevension told Mada Masr on Monday, anticipating that neither is likely to produce gas before 2027 at the earliest. The first agreement between Egypt and Cyprus concerns the Cronos field. The host country agreement was signed on Monday by Cairo, Nicosia and the head of Eni, the lead partner working the Cypriot concession. Eni's partner in the Cronos field is France's Total Energies. The agreement lays out a framework for the gas to be transferred from the field to processing facilities in the Egyptian Zohr field, which is also operated by Eni, to be transferred from there to the Damietta liquefaction plant in preparation for export, according to a statement published by the company on Monday. Eni also owns a 50 percent stake in the Damietta plant, while the Egyptian government holds the other share via the Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), which holds 40 percent. The remaining 10 percent is held by the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC). The Cronos field was discovered in 2022 and is thought to hold around 70 billion cubic meters of gas, although more recent estimates suggest the volumes could be higher. By way of comparison, Egypt's Zohr was initially estimated at around 850 billion cubic meters. Partners at the Cronos field are yet to submit and gain approval for a development plan for the field, Stevenson noted to Mada Masr on Monday, though the Cypriot government is hopeful that the field could start producing by 2027. The second agreement signed on Monday was a memorandum of understanding that laid out a framework for gas from Cyprus's Aphrodite field to be sent to Egypt for processing as well, according to Reuters. Cyprus's government finally gave its agreement on Friday to a development plan for the Aphrodite field, submitted by the consortium at the field which is led by US multinational energy corporation Chevron. The agreement would require an investment worth around US$4 billion and would see the partners dig four wells and build a floating processing station, as well as a subsea pipeline connecting the field to Egypt's liquefaction stations in order to produce around 800 million cubic meters of gas per day. Cyprus's government had previously rejected a development plan submitted by Chevron on the grounds that it would not support the degree of economic benefit the Cypriot government wished for. The earlier plan would've seen a comparatively meager investment of just $198 million dollars, the construction of just one well, and did not support the construction of a floating processing station. Although the development plan has been approved, four or five years will be required to build the necessary infrastructure and begin production, according to an estimate published by the Washington Institute. A final investment decision for the development plan is also required before it can move forward, according to Stevenson, who said that it could be as late as 2031 before the field starts producing gas. Aphrodite is Cyprus's largest gas field and was discovered in 2011, with reserves estimated at around 127 billion cubic meters. The Cypriot government granted development and production rights six years ago to a consortium led by Chevron, with a 35 percent stake, the Dutch Shell, which holds a matching stake, and Israeli company NewMed Energy, which holds 30 percent of the field. A former Petroleum Ministry official speaking to Mada Masr on Monday anticipated that the agreement with Eni would likely support Egypt gaining access to Cypriot gas for domestic use when needed. The former EGPC official likewise considered the agreement as one which would potentially support Egypt's diversification of natural gas sources. Egypt has faced a major natural gas deficiency over recent years, as domestic production has declined in the face of rising domestic consumption. As a result, Egypt's government has introduced rolling cuts nationwide during summer, when demand is high, and has turned to expensive liquid natural markets since 2023 for additional import volumes. Egypt is also largely dependent on regular imports from Israel, which it has agreed to increase over the coming years. The deficit has represented a challenge for Cairo, which announced plans as early as 2018 to become a regional gas hub, signing a $15 billion import agreement with Israel as well as its first framework agreement with Cyprus for a pipeline from Aphrodite at the time. The development of Aphrodite was delayed for years, however, the Petroleum Ministry official noted, mainly due to disputes regarding who would front the investment cost of building the subsea pipeline to connect the field to Egypt to facilitate its export. Egypt's dreams of being a regional export hub rely on building a set of agreements that would support its importing surplus quantities of gas from fields in various countries in the East Mediterranean to supply any production deficit it faces from its own fields. At the same time, the plan was for facilities at Damietta and Idku to support the option of liquefying any surplus for export. The decline in local gas production has had an impact on electricity generation, as last summer saw waves of power outages that extended to 12 hours in some Upper Egypt villages. The government is currently struggling to secure fuel sources that will ensure that the electricity crisis that fueled widespread social unrest last year does not recur.
