By Abdel Latif Wahba
Bloomberg
Egypt set Nov. 1 for the formal opening of its billion-dollar antiquities museum, after the war between Israel and Iran delayed plans to hold the long-awaited event this summer.
The new inauguration date for the Grand Egyptian Museum was approved by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, with government ministries ordered to make preparations, Egypt’s cabinet said in a recent statement.
The GEM, located a mile from the Giza pyramids and in the works for about two decades, is expected to give a significant boost to the North African nation’s crucial tourism industry.
The government canceled the initial July 3 opening date, citing regional tensions. The move came after Israel struck the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities in June, embroiling the two nations in a 12-day conflict.
Egyptian authorities envisage the 120-acre attraction, where many exhibition halls are already open, will bring in 5 million annual visitors. Billed as the world’s largest archaeological museum, it’s set to display some 100,000 artifacts, including items from King Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Egypt’s tourism industry has proved resilient, despite turmoil elsewhere in the Middle East. The government is predicting a record 18 million arrivals in 2025.