In Egypt, the mummies are making a return. But will tourists follow during a pandemic?

Saqqara, a historic necropolis south of Cairo, has become a key player in Egypt's efforts to counteract the tourism downturn.

This year has been remarkable for archaeological finds at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, where recent excavations have revealed numerous sarcophagi and artifacts, including a distinctive, bejeweled statue of the god Nefertum and an obelisk.

In early October, 59 well-preserved sarcophagi, dating back around 2,500 years, were uncovered. Their vibrant colors and hieroglyphs made for a captivating reveal, attracting a global audience. Along with media coverage, Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities invited foreign ambassadors, who shared the discoveries on social media.

"The discovery captured the hearts of people worldwide," says former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass, speaking to Dinogo.

"I believe the ambassadors sent a strong message about the allure of Egypt to their respective countries, as we desperately need tourists to return," says an official.

Tourism in Egypt had seen positive growth in recent years, according to Kevin Graham, Egypt editorial manager at Oxford Business Group (OBG). "At the start of 2020, there were expectations that this upward trend would continue," he told Dinogo.

Then the pandemic hit. In March, international flights were halted, and archaeological sites and museums were closed. Commercial air travel didn't resume until July.

As of the latest report, Egypt has recorded over 107,000 confirmed cases and more than 6,200 deaths from Covid-19. In the past week, over 1,000 new cases have been reported, according to John Hopkins University. The peak in new deaths and cases occurred in June.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, the tourism sector is recovering. In July, several attractions, including the Great Pyramids of Giza, reopened, and hotels received government safety certifications that confirmed compliance with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. By September, additional archaeological sites were opened, and the government introduced further support measures, such as extending visa fee exemptions for key tourist areas until April 2021 and delaying utility bill repayments for tourism businesses.

Amr Karim, general manager at Travco Travel, one of Egypt's largest travel companies, noted that after a sharp drop, the past three months have seen a steady increase in beach holiday bookings, particularly from Europe.

Travco is adhering to WHO guidelines by disinfecting hotel rooms, public spaces, and vehicles, while ensuring that staff use face masks, sanitizers, and maintain social distancing. Karim points out that there has been a decrease in elderly travelers, while the number of travelers under 50 has increased. He also mentions that most tourists are staying within their hotels.

Karim predicts a tourism boom at ancient sites by the third quarter of 2021.

Karim highlights the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' considerable efforts in recent years to promote Egypt's archaeological gems, including the unveiling of new sites, the parade of 22 royal mummies from the Egyptian Museum to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, and the ongoing construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).

Hawass calls it 'the world's most significant cultural project,' emphasizing that everything connects to it: the 59 sarcophagi from Saqqara will be moved to the GEM, where they will be showcased across from another substantial collection of wooden coffins found in Luxor in 2019.

However, if the pandemic persists, there’s no certainty that the anticipated number of tourists will be present when it opens, a critical factor for many in the industry.

In August, the IMF forecasted that tourism in Egypt would return to pre-crisis levels by the second half of 2022. Graham points out that, unlike past downturns, the outlook for tourism is closely tied to the pandemic responses in European countries and their quarantine measures, which will ultimately determine whether people will travel.

Karim acknowledges the uncertainty: 'It's hard to predict anything right now. It depends on medical developments and the progress of vaccines against Covid-19. We're all hoping for the best.'

Despite the challenges, Hawass remains optimistic, given his two-decade involvement with the GEM, and believes that 2021 will be an improvement over 2020.

'I truly believe Egypt is safer than many other countries,' he states. 'What we really need now is for tourists to return.'