Farewell to Pyramids chaos, a new look for the Giza Plateau in 2025
Shahd Hashem , Friday 13 Dec 2024
The revamp of the Giza plateau, aimed at providing a more organized and eco-friendly experience for visitors, is expected to cost over 1 billion Egyptian pounds ($51.1 million), according to Amr Gazarin, chairman of Orascom Pyramids Entertainment (OPE), the company overseeing the renovation.
He added that the profect is set to be completed by February 2025.
The episode highlighted Gazarin's review of OPE's ambitious transformation project at the Giza Plateau.
OPE has been developing the Giza Plateau since 2018 under a cooperation protocol with Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), which is part of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
The Giza Plateau, home to the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Sphinx, and other ancient marvels, draws millions of visitors annually.
Three pyramids lie in the Giza Plateau: one for King Khufu, the second built by his son King Khafre, and the third for Menkaure, the son of Khafre and Khufu's grandson.
On 28 November, Gazarin announced that the company would invest an additional EGP 500 million to complete the development of the Pyramids Plateau.
This investment brings OPE's total expenditure on the long-awaited project to EGP 1.5 billion.
The Great Pyramid of Giza, the last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World, is a powerful symbol of Egypt's heritage and a cornerstone of its tourism industry, one of the country's primary sources of foreign currency.
In 2023, the number of tourists visiting the country reached a new record high of 14.9 million.
This is the highest number of tourists visiting Egypt annually since 2010, when it received 14.7 million.
In the first half of 2024, Egypt attracted a record-breaking 7.1 million tourists, with revenues reaching $6.6 billion, compared to $6.3 billion in the same period of 2023.
Revolutionizing visitors' experience
Although electronic ticketing gates have been installed and operational at the Giza Pyramids archaeological site since 2021, Gazarin noted that the new visit system has not yet begun and is expected to launch by the end of February 2025.
Tourists pass through electronic ticketing gates at the Pyramids' entrance during the second phase of the e-ticketing system. Photo: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
In April, SCA Secretary-General Mohamed Ismail Khaled stated that the new machines will significantly reduce congestion at ticket windows.
He noted that tickets can still be purchased online via the ministry's official website, emphasizing that this step aligns with the nearing completion of service development at the Giza Plateau.
Furthermore, Gazarin indicated that the traditional entrance through the Marriott Mena House will be closed due to its long-standing issues with congestion, pollution, excessive noise, thugs, and hooligans.
The Marriott Mena House is a luxurious five-star hotel and resort located near Cairo in Giza, offering a direct view of the pyramids. Renowned for its historical significance, the hotel has hosted numerous influential global figures, including Winston Churchill, Richard Nixon, Agatha Christie, Frank Sinatra, and King Saud. Currently, it is owned and operated by Legacy Hotels, a subsidiary of the Talaat Moustafa Group.
He stated that a new entrance, free from previous disorder, has been built on the Fayoum Highway, located south of the Giza Pyramids. This entrance will guide visitors through a completely revamped system.
"You [the visitor] will enter through the Fayoum entrance and park your car in a parking lot that can hold over 1,200 private cars and 200 tourist buses," he said.
"Then, visitors to the Giza Plateau can pass through the newly created visitor centre," he continued.
Private cars will no longer be permitted on the site, and transportation will exclusively use eco-friendly electric vehicles.
To streamline the visitor experience, Orascom will operate "hop-on, hop-off" electric buses to transport visitors from the visitor centre to seven stations.
Each station narrates a story that provides a unique perspective on the pyramid. The stations will also feature simple shops where visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee, browse books, or grab a snack for themselves and their families.
Gazarin said: "The centre prepares you [the visitor] for the visit." It will introduce guests to the rich history of the three Egyptian kings, Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. Visitors will also see artefacts used in the construction of the pyramids.
"We've brought in replica artefacts from the state-owned Kenouz company to showcase items used in the construction of the pyramid and other memorabilia from that era," added Gazarin.
"The visitor who comes will witness a complete story," he said.
Gazarin explained that Egyptian companies have been invited to create local products to sell to tourists, replacing Chinese-made souvenirs with authentic Egyptian products.
Animal welfare at Pyramids
Efforts to improve animal welfare at the Giza Plateau are a key component of the ongoing development. "The current state of animals there is terrible," said Gazarin.
He clarified that Orascom hence plans to regulate and organize those who operate animals.
"We won't eliminate these people, as we understand this is their livelihood, but we will regulate them," Gazarin stated.
Plans include designated areas with shaded shelters and access to clean water, allowing the animals to rest under humane conditions.
In addition, Gazarin highlighted the establishment of veterinary clinics to ensure animals are healthy before they are allowed to enter the plateau. "We aim to ensure animal welfare, support their owners, and protect the tourists," he said.
A woman tourist rides a horse near the Pyramid of Menkaure (Menkheres) at the Giza pyramids necropolis on the outskirts of the twin city of Egypt's capital on October 27, 2022. AFP
According to Gazarin, the current system, in which horse and camel owners operate independently, has existed for 50 years.
He noted that though changing long-standing behaviour is challenging, horse and camel owners have shown promising compliance with the new system, including using designated spaces and pathways.
"Animal lovers worldwide will see that the image is changing," Gazarin remarked.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Gazarin said UNESCO has consistently pointed out that the Pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were at risk due to the intense pollution, noise, bus vibrations, and nearby housing with sewage systems causing groundwater issues under the Pyramids and Sphinx.
"We invested nearly EGP 1.5 billion, hiring some of the greatest global firms specialized in tourism company ratings and transformation of visitation at archaeological sites worldwide," he emphasized.
In conclusion, Gazarin highlighted that according to the latest statistics, the Pyramids receive less than 2.5 million visitors annually, most of whom are Egyptians who visit during holidays like Sham El-Nessim.
-- Sent from my Linux system.
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