Egyptian civilisation is paragon of tourism



Kofi Yeboah Writes From Cairo,

Egypt is one of the foremost countries in which civilisation first began centuries ago, and on May 6, 2024, when I visited the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation, in Cairo, I could not agree more with that assertion.

The National Geographic Society, based in Washington DC, affirms that “Civilisations first appeared in Mesopotamia (what is now Iraq) and later in Egypt”.

The National Museum of a Egyptian Civilisation is a bridge that connects medieval and modern Egypt, with artifacts that are ancient in age but arrayed in a beautiful edifice that in itself is a tourism attraction.

The inward and outward appeal of the museum, sitting on a 490,000 sq metre-land, is ample testimony of the deliberate plot driving tourism as the third largest revenue inflow in Egypt.

The tourism sector in Egypt raked in $13 billion in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the third largest revenue collection industry in the country.

That makes a lot of sense, given the large number of people who trek to the museum to see the collections of ancient lifestyle in Egypt.

Construction work is still ongoing at the museum, indicating that there is more job to be done, and also underlying the purpose and pedigree of Egypt in the tourism industry.

Egypt has also developed what is described as the largest archeological museum in the world, on the plateau of the pyramids in Giza.

Known as the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), it adds more value to the enormous tourism endowment and huge revenue inflow of Egypt.

Inside the museum

The outer premises of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation is well laid, with spacious car park and walkways.

Inside the museum, there is order in the demarcations and exhibits, and patrons conform to same, as they fix their sight and thought into the artifacts and narratives of ancient Egypt.

Tour guides are on hand to provide the narratives to the artifacts on display, including tools used for farming and baking bread, textiles, furniture and other household items.

The Dush treasure, discovered in the Dush Citadel, are among the vast collection of artifacts on display, and they demonstrate the wealth of the Roman Empire as far back as 300AD.

The famous royal mummies (Kings and Queens who ruled Egypt in ancient times) are the biggest attraction, and even in their inanimate world, they look majestic and surreal.



Mixed impressions

I have seen the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation in Cairo.

And that, no doubt, reflects an ambitious tourism drive.

I have seen (in 2006) Tinapa, the world-class, integrated business and leisure resort, in Calabar, the capital of the Cross River State in Nigeria, which was built and advertised on CNN, under the governorship of Donald Duke.

And that, no doubt, reflects an ambitious tourism drive.

I have seen (also in 2006) the serene Obudu Mountain Resort (also in the Cross River State), with beautiful chalets and airstrip for small aircraft, as well as asphalt road and cable car for access.

And that, no doubt, reflects an ambitious tourism drive.

I have also seen the Odweanoma Mountain at Kwahu Atibie in the Eastern Region in Ghana that hosts the paragliding festival at Easter, and the Kakum National Park that holds one of the breathtaking canopy walkways in the world, but both with bad roads that make people to suffer torture before they savour tourism.

And that, no doubt, reflects a lack of commitment towards tourism drive.

Certainly, something ought to change in Ghana’s tourism drive, and Egypt is a perfect port of call for lessons in that regard.

Kindly share your thoughts and read other articles on this blog

Writer’s Email: kofiyebo@yahoo.com

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