Egypt Seeks to Improve Tourism through Archaeological Finds

Archaeologists hope to revive and boost Egyptian tourism with recent discoveries. A team of archaeologists discovered a 2,000-year-old burial place and a mummification workshop near the Pyramids of Giza. The team also found numerous stone statues, jars, vessels, and a gold and silver mummy mask in the excavation. Egypt’s antiquities minister anticipates more discoveries as the team continues to explore the site. Experts are hopeful that these discoveries will shed light on the specific oils Egyptians used in mummification. Some of the items found from the recent excavation will be showcased in the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is set to open before 2018 ends. Older archaeological finds, including King Tutankhamun's [toot-ahng-KAH-muh ns] funerary mask and tomb treasures, will also be housed in the museum. The Grand Egyptian Museum, which cost over $1 billion, will be the biggest museum dedicated to just one civilization. It will also boast a view of the Pyramids of Giza. The country hopes that this museum and the recent discoveries can improve Egypt’s tourism. Tourist arrival in Egypt has dwindled since 2011 when a huge political turmoil broke out. Rallies and demonstrations were held against the president at that time. For fear of getting involved in the political unrest, millions of tourists left the country. The tourism industry continued to worsen in 2015 when a terrorist group from Egypt bombed a commercial flight from Russia. To address the problem, the Egyptian government has tightened and improved airport security. Monetary incentives of $4,000 or more are also given to airlines with inbound flights that are at least 80% full.