The Egyptian government has unveiled three multi-million dollar giant tourist projects in a bid to expand its tourism potentials in the North African region.
The projects are located in Upper Egypt’s governorate of Minya which ranks third in archaeological and cultural value among the governorates of the country due to its distinguished location and archaeological sites that include all eras.
The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and Culture said in a statement on Tuesday that the development would see the tourist and archaeological areas in Minya Governorate take a quantum leap aimed at contributing to the preservation of the areas.
The projects, according to the ministry, includes the Ashmounin and Tuna al-Jabal to the Monastery of the Virgin Mary in Jabal al-Tayr, the Atonian Museum which is the third largest museum in Egypt, as well as the Tell el-Amarna Visitors Center and Museum, which includes 950 artifacts
“The Egyptian state has paid attention to revitalizing tourism.
“The state also developed and restored the Mallawi Museum, which is located in the heart of the city of Mallawi, at a cost of £7 million,” the statement said.
“The museum was reopened after the restoration of the building and the recovery of most of the stolen artifacts, in addition to the restoration of many holdings, and the development of four tourist areas including Tell el-Amarna, Ashmounin, Tuna al-Jabal, and the Monastery of the Virgin Mary in Jabal al-Tayr, at a cost of £11 million, and three projects are being implemented in the tourism and antiquities sector, with a total cost of £225 million.
“The Atonian Museum is the third largest museum in Egypt after the Grand Egyptian Museum and the Museum of Civilization. The idea of establishing the museum dates back to 1979 as a documentation of the history of the Pharaohs in Minya and the story of the city of Akhet Aton known as Tell el-Amarna.
“The Bahnasa region of the Bani Mazar Center, north of the Minya Governorate, witnessed the construction of 14 archaeological domes and the development of the visitor center and tourism services in the Bahnasa Islamic Antiquities area.
“This region is also witnessing a great tourist boom, whether from inside or outside Egypt, and the region is called the second Baqi, where about 70 of the companions who witnessed the Battle of Badr with the Prophet Muhammed, Peace be upon him, are buried along with the followers and the righteous.
“The Jabal Al-Tair region witnessed a great development during the last period after the region was included in the pilgrimage trips to the Vatican, where the project to revive the path of the Holy Family in the Jabal Al-Tair area in Samalout, north of Minya, was completed,” the ministry said.