TACOMA, WA – In a procession of major cultural and economic importance, the entire collection of King Tutankhamun’s treasures is being re-exhibited to the world. The newly created Great Egyptian Museum will be the largest in the world largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts. This includes the famous Pharaoh’s belongings when the museum opens in late 2021. The museum seems to have had a huge impact on the local economy. This follows the ongoing battles for one of the country’s key industries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The State of Tourism in Egypt during COVID-19

Tourism is one of the most important economic drivers in Egypt. The pandemic made them one of the hardest hit industries. Egypt lost more than $ 1 billion per month due to the lack of tourism during the pandemic, said the country’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Khaled el-Anany. Sharp declines in the industry, which the minister says accounts for more than 12% of Egypt’s GDP, have created significant economic hardship for many in the country.

A 2020 study found that household incomes in Egypt are projected to decrease by 9.0% to 10.6% per person each month of the pandemic. More than half of these losses are directly related to the lack of tourism. It is expected that rural poor households will be hardest hit, with a loss of 11.5% to 14.4% in average income. The losses result from the diverse effects of tourism on many important revenue areas in the country. Areas affected include hotels, taxi services, food processing and the agricultural industry.

The Economic Impact of the Great Egyptian Museum

The opening of the Great Egyptian Museum could be vital to the recovery of the Egyptian tourism sector once international travel begins in earnest. In addition to the direct jobs that the opening will create, growth is also expected in related areas such as the transportation and service industries. This comes at a time when more than 7% of the Egyptians are unemployed. In addition, the museum expects to attract up to millions of visitors a year to its location, which is just over a mile from the Giza Pyramid Plateau. This will help increase tourism engagement in both Cairo and Giza.

The Great Egyptian Museum is also part of an important collaboration between Egypt and Japan that could result in significant future investment in the country. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has partnered with Egypt to help build the museum. JICA’s Director General for Development in the Middle East and Europe, Hideki Matsunaga, praised the museum in a recent interview. He compared it to world famous museums in London and Paris. In the same interview, Matsunaga also pointed out that JICA would invest up to $ 1 billion in Egypt by 2022.

Front view of the Great Egyptian Museum

The Great Egyptian Museum appears to have had a significant impact on the local economy in Egypt. A specific opening date has not yet been set, but should take place in a few weeks or months without any major delay. Work on the museum continued throughout the pandemic with precautionary measures to protect workers; In addition, health protection is an expected priority once the museum opens its doors.

The museum itself covers approximately 3,800 hectares. It will contain a wide variety of artifacts ranging from prehistoric to Roman times. In addition to the Tutankhamun collection, outstanding artifacts include a massive pink granite depiction of Ramses IV and the world’s only hanging obelisk that is placed on the main facade of the museum.

Overall, the Great Egyptian Museum appears to be an exciting addition to Egypt that will help fuel the country’s economic recovery.

– Brett Grega
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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