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The National
28-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Pyramids of Giza tourist experience to be revamped in $51 million project
The visitor experience at the Pyramids of Giza will be revamped as part of a $51 million initiative, the Egyptian government has revealed. The Giza Plateau is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, famous for its pyramids and the Great Sphinx. The site, however, is also notorious for its poor management, hawkish sellers and reports of animal abuse. The new initiative, spearheaded by Orascom Pyramids Entertainment Services Company, aims to address these complaints. Better preservation measures, tomb restoration and improved animal treatment are among the key goals of the project. A new visitors centre and an online ticketing platform are also in the pipeline. Certain aspects of the revamping plan have already been implemented. A fleet of 45 electric buses have been introduced to site. The buses are scheduled to run every five minutes. The plan will also tackle traffic and overcrowding issues at the site. A new access point to the site was set last week, but it was met by protest from local vendors. Tour operators blocked traffic into the premises as they rallied against their relocation to the parking area, saying the move will hurt their business. Naguib Sawiris, founder of Orascom Telecom Holding and Orascom Investment Holding, said vendors who refused to relocate will be held accountable. 'They should go to their designated zones as planned by the state and stay away from the bus routes to avoid disrupting the tourist experience,' he wrote on X. 'Those who refuse should be banned to preserve this historic district. Public well-being is far more important than catering to the interests of 2,000 individuals who have caused harm to the country for years.' Plans to revamp tourist experience comes in the lead-up of the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum. Located 2km from the Pyramids of Giza, the museum is set to officially open in July, following years of delays. A number of the halls are already open to visitors. Egypt is one of the region's top tourist destinations. According to Wego, the country has been topping its list of top international trending destinations since the online travel marketplace began tracking numbers in 2014. The company recently released its 2025 statistics and Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan and the UAE are ranked in the remaining top five respectively. 'Egypt and Saudi Arabia have consistently held leading positions on our platform, a reflection of their strong outbound and domestic travel appetite, well-established tourism infrastructure, and year-round demand,' said Mamoun Hmidan, chief business officer at Wego. 'This upward trend has remained steady for over a decade, supported by increased connectivity and evolving traveller preferences.'
Euronews
24-04-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Egypt travel: Pyramids of Giza revamp project hopes to curb congestion and aggressive vendors
ADVERTISEMENT Millions of visitors travel to Egypt each year to see the iconic Pyramids of Giza. Despite being one of the world's most famous ancient sites, the experience leaves many travellers with unpleasant memories. For years, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has been plagued by poor management, unregulated and aggressive vendors, and reports of animal cruelty. Now, Egypt is taking steps to clean up the Pyramids of Giza - but the revamp has got off to a rocky start. Vendors protest relocation to new zones Experiences of overcrowding and persistent tour touters have tarnished many tourists' experiences of the Giza Plateau - home to several pyramids and the Great Sphinx. The Egyptian government's newly unveiled plan aims to relaunch the site with improved management and regulations. The project, led by Orascom Pyramids Entertainment Services Company, is reportedly set to cost $51 million (€45 million). This week, a new access point to the complex on the Fayoum Highway was tested, replacing the historic entrance near Marriott Mena House, which frequently suffers from traffic jams and congestion. Horse and camel tour vendors have long been accused of harassment and alleged extortion by visitors. GEORGE LIVADHIOTIS But the trial run faced pushback from horse and camel tour operators, who blocked vehicles from entering in a protest against their relocation to new designated parking areas. They say these are too far from the entrance and will damage business. The vendors have long been accused of harassment and alleged extortion by visitors. Businessman Naguib Sawiris, the founder of Orascom Telecom Holding and Orascom Investment Holding, wrote on X that sellers who refuse to move to the new zone area would be banned. 'The well-being of the public and preservation of this treasure is far more important than catering to the interests of 2,000 individuals who have caused harm to the country for years,' he posted . Pyramids of Giza adopt electric vehicles The new measures also prohibit private vehicles and tour buses from entering the plateau, instead providing visitors and their guides with eco-friendly electric vehicles to get around the site. While the transition aims to improve the sustainability of the complex, some visitors have complained on social media about the availability of the vehicles, saying they've been forced to wait or walk in the heat. Orascom issued a statement in response, stating that 45 electric buses had been made available on the site and are scheduled to run every five minutes. ADVERTISEMENT The revamp will also see several tombs restored, the introduction of online ticketing and a new visitor centre. Visitors warned against animal tours at Pyramids of Giza Some hope that the relocation of tour vendors is also a step towards bringing an end to animal cruelty reported at the site. A recent investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) found instances of routine abuse and animals left to rot at the side of the road. Related Egypt's Giza Pyramids are getting a revamp to boost tourism Inside Mazhar Botanic Garden, a natural remedy to Cairo's notorious air pollution 'PETA has documented the routine punching, kicking, whipping, and starving of horses and camels at the pyramids,' says PETA Asia Vice President Jason Baker. ADVERTISEMENT 'Animals are literally ridden to death and then dumped like rubbish outside the gate. The Pyramids of Giza should symbolise Egypt's beauty and history - not unchecked animal abuse . The Egyptian government must act to remove these suffering animals from Giza.' The campaign group is urging tourists not to engage the services of these animal tour companies.
