Egypt welcomed nearly 13 million tourists in the first eight months of this year, bringing in around $12 billion. Tourism is one of the country's most important sources of hard currency. But every one of those dollars rests on assets that can never be replaced — tombs, temples, and collections under growing pressure from crowds, heat, and humidity. Joining me is Dr. Islam Ezzat, Lecturer of Heritage Management at Ain Shams University and the French University of Egypt. Thank you very much for being with us, Doctor Islam.
Good afternoon, Mr. Bassel.
As tourism grows, are we investing enough in protecting the assets behind that growth?
The Egyptian government is actively investing in this area. The Supreme Council of Antiquities has implemented an electronic surveillance system at key archaeological sites, including upgraded control buildings at Karnak Temple in Luxor, with the second phase of the monitoring system currently under study to ensure full camera coverage of the archaeological zone. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has also overseen the digitisation and registration of thousands of artefacts, alongside upgrading databases and information infrastructure. We cannot deny the efforts in developing green and energy saving solutions — like the use of solar panels in 27 archaeological sites around Egypt, including some national museums like the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir.
The Grand Egyptian Museum has set a new standard. What would it take to bring some of that standard to Egypt's older museums and sites?
The Grand Egyptian Museum has achieved a landmark status — it is the first national mega project in Egypt to be declared carbon neutral, verified under international standards, with two international certificates obtained. For older institutions, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo is undergoing a comprehensive development plan that started in 2022 through an EU-funded project, bringing together six international museums: the Louvre, the British Museum, the Egyptian Museum in Turin, the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, and the National Egyptian Museum in Leiden — all collaborating on a master plan. Luxor Museum has also been renovated with immersive presentation concepts and improved accessibility.
Where could investing more today save Egypt much larger restoration costs later?
The highest return preventive instruments are concentrated on climate adaptation and environmental protection. Egypt has integrated heritage protection into its National Climate Change Strategy to 2050 — explicitly targeting the reduction of losses to state assets including cultural legacy. At COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt partnered to launch a fund protecting heritage sites from climate change. Specific preventive projects include groundwater reduction at Abu Mena in Alexandria — which was on UNESCO's endangered heritage list until 2025 and has now been successfully removed from that list through the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' efforts. That is significant progress.
Thank you very much, Doctor Islam. It has been a pleasure having your insights with us.
