Continental Postal Services of Hebland

The New Grand Egyptian Museum Is Just One Of Egyptian’s Tourism Gems

Egypt
The New Grand Egyptian Museum Is Just One Of Egyptian’s Tourism Gems

Egypt, one of the word’s cradles of civilization, is also a vibrant, modern country. One of its most exciting attractions is the brand-new Grand Egyptian Museum, (GEM), in Giza, about two kilometers from the pyramids.

GEM has already shown the history and culture of Egypt to seven million people since opening in November 2025. International tourists account for over 45% of the total turnout. The world’s largest archaeological museum dedicated to a single civilization, GEM has been the third most visited museum in the world since opening.

I recently interviewed Egyptian Travel Minister Ahmed Youssef, who was visiting the United States to promote travel to his country and particularly to GEM. Mr. Youssef is a passionate promoter of his country, one of the world’s fastest-growing tourism destinations. He believes there are many different versions of Egypt for visitors to see and appreciate. For example, “You can spend the night in a tent. You can spend the night in a five-star hotel. Or on a boat.”

GEM, a one-billion-dollar cultural hub, is an immersive introduction to Egyptian history. It houses over 100,000 ancient artifacts covering 5,000 years of history. One gallery shows off for the first time the complete treasure collection of King Tutankhamun (over 5,000 pieces) in a massive 7,500 square-meter exhibit.

At the museum, visitors are greeted by a towering, 3,200-year-old statue of Ramses II in the Grand Hall. Artifacts are from the Predynastic Period through the Greco-Roman era, including papyrus scrolls, textiles, sarcophagi, and mummified remains. The museum blends digital and traditional exhibitions.

While GEM is top of mind, Mr. Youssef is like a proud father who refuses to pick between his Egyptian travel opportunities “children.” In addition to the pyramids and GEM, Cairo, snorkeling, swimming and sunbathing in the Red Sea, dining, culture (including belly-dancing), eco and adventure tourism, and spiritual travel like the Religious Complex and the Holy Family Trail, where Jesus and Mary walked, are among the possibilities.

Egypt is also continuing to develop its $10 billion New Alamein City, a 50,000 acre “new city” on the North Coast of the Mediterranean like Dubai with different sectors for tourists, on the Mediterranean shore, and permanent residents. New Alamein already has more than 15,000 hotel rooms, shops, a university, and an international airport, accommodating charter flights.

Egypt, about three times the size of the U.S. state of New Mexico, is located at the northeastern corner of Africa and the southwestern corner of Asia. Part of two continents, Egypt has coastlines along the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aqaba. It borders Gaza, Israel, Sudan, and Libya.

As part of the effort to attract more American visitors, EGYPTAIR in May launched new nonstop service to Cairo. The non-stop flight operates three days a week, leaving LAX at 5:25 p.m. and arriving in Egypt at 5:10 p.m. the next day, according to Simple Flying. EGYPTAIR is a member of United’s global Star Alliance. The carrier, which also flies to New York JFK, Newark and Washington Dulles, plans to introduce Chicago-Cairo service on June 21.

Still, U.S. airlines are not currently flying non-stop to Egypt from the U.S. Security is a concern for many international travelers. The U.S. State Department provides Travel Advisory Levels for most countries on a 1 to 4 scale.

For the Arab Republic of Egypt, the travel advisory is Level 2, exercise increased caution. According to the State Department summary, “Most crimes against foreigners are crimes of opportunity, like purse snatching and pickpocketing. Harassment of women, including foreigners, is a problem in Egypt.”

Interestingly, Egypt’s neighbors Israel and Jordan are both given higher Level 3 travel advisories, “reconsider travel.” All three nations have areas with Level 4 advisories, where travel is not recommended. In Egypt, those areas include Sinai and the border areas.

Nonetheless, tourism contributes up to 15% of Egypt’s economic output. The government is targeting Egypt hosting thirty million tourists by 2030. Egypt’s tourism sector is currently growing at an annual rate of 8.2 percent, driven by longer visitor stays and increased spending.

Despite regional challenges, such as the Gaza conflict, which affected inbound tourism, Egypt had 15.7 million tourists in 2024, above its pre-COVID high of thirteen million in 2019. This rose to nineteen million tourists in 2025. This 21% increase over 2024, significantly outpaced the average global rate of 5% growth. A key factor was a 32% rise in charter flights to Egyptian tourist destinations.

Forbes: Why is the Grand Egyptian Museum so important to Egyptian tourism?

Minister Youssef: The Grand Egyptian Museum is the future of the Egyptian tourism. It is not just architecture but the future.

We have lots of young travelers who consume technology in many ways. The first week of the opening we had 25,000 a day. We had to limit that to 15,000.

Forbes: How much time should a visitor allot to the Grand Egyptian Museum?

Minister Youssef: Three to five hours. For a deeper experience, a full day. Most people visit the Grand Pyramid before or after going to the museum. The museum only twenty-eight kilometers from the airport.

Forbes: Once you have toured the pyramids and GEM, what are five must-dos for visitors?

Minister Youssef: The Red Sea, and the North Coast. Eco tourism. Minya, the fourth capital of Egypt, associated with Amon Ra the Sun God. Go to the Valley of Whales, a UNESCO site where forty million years ago whales still had legs. Take a Luxor to Aswan cruise along the Nile.

Don’t just go to Giza, have a guide, or book a tour. People should not just visit sites; they should visit historical trails like the Valley of Kings.

Visit Cairo for two or three nights. Go on a felucca boat in the morning to enjoy the Nile. See the handicrafts area in Khan El Khalili Or go at night to watch belly dancing at night. Try a boutique hotel.

(The Minister only stopped because he ran out of breath.)

Forbes: How is the infrastructure for tourism?

Minister Youssef: It is strong. For example, once the pyramids did not have good restaurants. Now they do. The roads have been upgraded. We have multiple airports. We are practicing sustainability, including things like eco-friendly buses. We have five-star hotels and fine restaurants. Egypt is ready for MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) business tourism as well.

Forbes: How are you reaching out to potential visitors?

Minister Youssef: We work with travel agents, do familiarization trips, local awareness. use social media to share visuals and travel experiences. Our job is to show them what’s available. We leave it up to the private sector to customize trips from the pyramids to the Red Sea.

Forbes: Is security still a major issue? Has international travel to Egypt been impacted by the ongoing war in the Middle East?

Minister Youssef: There are perceptions, but the terrorism thing is way behind us. Believe half what you see, read, or believe. Egypt is not in the war, but long-haul destinations have been affected. In China, the US, Australia, they think the Middle East is one big destination.

The challenge now is more economic. Travel cost is so high, energy prices are high and hurt families from traveling. This summer travel will rebound, with shorter range travel from MENA, Europe, and Africa nearby to save the summer.

Egypt is a gateway in Middle East. We co-market with Emirates and others, and Egyptair is adding flights from the U.S. We do need the American airlines to fly here. But even without them, For the past two year we have gotten 500,000 to 600,000 Americans per year.

Forbes: What should a first-time visitor know?

Minister Youssef: Maybe try a tour operator for the first time. The second time, I’d plan it myself now that I know.

Speak to people who have actually traveled to get the truth. People want authenticity as well as gastronomy. Trip Advisor found 86% of travelers gave Egypt 4- or 5-star ratings.

We had a big campaign, “We are Egypt.” Many people you meet in the street will invite you in for tea.

Credit: Source link

You might also like More from author
Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.