Tour d’Afrique, 90-day Cycling Tour, Kicks off in Cairo

 

Cairo, Egypt; 26 January 2016 – The Egypt Tourism Authority (ETA) has announced today that Tour d’Afrique, the trans-continental cycling tour, kicked off in Egypt on January 15, 2016. Covering almost 12,000 km in four months, this is the 14^th edition of the Tour d’Afrique – a test of mind, body, and bicycle. Starting at the Pyramids,

under the watchful eyes of the immortal Sphinx,

 

the cyclists are heading south along the Red Sea and the Nile River in Egypt, visiting the famous sites of Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel, before entering Sudan via a new land crossing.

“Entering its 14^th year, Tour d’Afrique has been a pivotal touristic event for Africa,” said Egypt’s Minister of Tourism Hisham Zaazou. “All participants will gain an unforgettable, scenic experience – starting at the oldest and most iconic place in the world – all while challenging themselves to cycle across our diverse continent. We are honored to kick off the event in Egypt, and look forward to welcoming the participants as they pass through our sites in Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel.”

The trans-African crossing from Cairo to Cape Town has been one of the world’s ambitious journeys ever since Cecil Rhodes’ 19^th century dream of connecting South Africa and Egypt by rail. Since then, the route has become an iconic goal for global adventurers. Cyclists will travel along the Nile past ancient temples, through the Sudanese desert, and up and down the biblical landscapes of Ethiopia’s rugged Simian Mountains. After crossing the Equator in Kenya, they will pedal past legendary Mount Kilimanjaro, to Lake Malawi, Victoria Falls, and along the edges of the Kalahari and Namib deserts, en route to the finish of their epic journey in Cape Town, South Africa.

Egypt Tourism Authority Launches New #thisisegypt Campaign

The Egyptian Tourist Authority (ETA) has announced today the launch of a new campaign titled “This is Egypt” (#thisisegypt), to kick-start a major domestic campaign to drive growth in the tourism sector.

♦In a departure from previous ETA campaigns, #thisisegypt will be adigital-first, focusing on peer-to-peer advocacy and digital media.

In addition to the traditional advertising methods that will be undertaken by the ETA, #thisisegypt will be the first new campaign for the tourism sector since 2012.
This Is Egypt focuses on personalizing the Egyptian experience by encouraging Egyptians to celebrate and share what theyvalue most about their country on all social media platforms – and play a positive role in retelling the nation’s narrative.
The hashtag, #thisisegypt, originally began as a grass-roots movement developed by Egyptians, and was adopted by the ETA as the campaign to give all Egyptians a chance to play a role in boosting tourism by portraying an experiential and authentic image about the country to the world.
♦The three-year campaign will focus on attracting and engaging diverse audiences, with a focus on millennials who are driven by personal experience, passion and adventure. Recent studies have shown that millennials take a higher number of trips annually compared to other age groups, driven by the aforementioned factors.

♦Millennials also have the highest level of influence in their respective communities, which indirectly affects the travel decisions of their peers – upon which this campaign heavily relies.
♦The campaign will highlight Egypt’s touristic destinations into four main geographic attractions: the Nile Valley, the Red Sea Riviera, the White Mediterranean and the Western Desert. The four destinations will be promoted across different audiences and seasons based on each of the targeted markets’ unique attraction points.
♦“The #thisisegypt campaign is built for Egyptians, by Egyptians,” said Egypt’s Minister of Tourism Hisham Zaazou. “Now more than ever we want all Egyptians to explore our country and share their positive visuals, and help reshape Egypt’s image to the world.”
The campaign comes as Egypt continues to work around the clock to enhance safety and security procedures to ensure the well-being of all travelers.

♦The country recently passed an assessment by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with inspectors from Russian, Dutch, Emirati and Italian airlines, and is also collaborating with delegations from the United Kingdom, Germany and Russia to implement the strongest security measures possible. As it launches the #thisisegypt campaign, Egypt has pledged to do all that is possible to provide all visitors – internal and external – with a safe and enjoyable experience in the country.
♦The domestic campaign will be followed with another extensive GCC and international campaign at a later stage.

About The Egyptian Tourist Authority
Egyptian Tourist Authority was established in March 1981, by presidential decree No. 134 endorsing a recommendation by the Minister of Tourism.

♦ The Authority is dedicated to promoting Egypt as a first class tourist destination, in line with the rise of tourism marketing as an independent discipline and the emergence of new tourism promotion tools.

♦ The Authority responded to the increasing competition in the travel and tourism industry, by adopting an advanced structure capable of dynamically dealing with the situation.

♦The completion is due to the rising number of new attractive destinations, budget airlines and the huge progress made by the airlines industry.

#Kitesurfing #WorldCup in #RedSea – 28th of May

The Red Sea Kitesurf World Cup 2014 is set to take place from May 28th to June 1st at the Palm Royal Resort in Soma Bay, Egypt. Prize money for this new freestyle event is $57,000. The commencement of the Red Sea Kitesurf World Cup, organized by ACT Agency GmbH, will also mark an historic moment as it will be the first PKRA World Cup in Egypt.

Registration: Online registration fee for this event is $110 and it is due by May-15-2014. Late registration or onsite registration will incurr a $25 late fee.

How to get there: Fly to Hurghada Airport Egypt. http://www.hurghada-airport.co.uk

The transport from the airport in Hurghada to Palm Royale Resort and back is included in the price for the Special Riders Hotel Rate

Please make sure to make your accommodation reservations as soon as possible not later than the 15th of May.

Special Riders Rates (entire event stay)
• 45 US Dollar per night per person (2 pax per room)
• Special Rate includes full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Additional person: 45 US Dollar per night per person (please be aware that only one additional person per rider is possible)
For booking please contact….
• Kim Schumacher
• Schumacher@act-agency.com
• +49 40 414641-57
…and send her the following information:
• Surname and last name
• Female / male
• Time frame in which the accommodation is needed
• Flight infos (day and time of arrival in Hurghada, flight number and day and time of departure)

Water Conditions:
– Flat water conditions
– Sandy ground
– Water temperatures will be expected by 25-26 Celsius

Wind Conditions:
– During the event period we expect an average wind force around 16 – 18 knots,
– At the event site the wind is mostly side-shore from NNW

 

Largest #tourism #project launched in #Giza – #Egypt

 

 

CAIRO, Egypt – In an effort to revitalise the tourism sector, Giza Governor Ali Abdel Rahman announced on Sunday the details of the “largest” tourism service project in the governorate at a cost of EGP 7.5m, according to a statement from the governorate.

Ministry of Tourism will fund the project which will be implemented by Ministry of Antiquities, Abdel Rahman said. Situated near Haram Street, the project will include 280 bazaars, commercial shops, touristic restaurants and cafes with the aim of serving tourists.

According to Abdel Rahman, the tender to implement the project will be issued on a usufruct basis for the developers within a month. The announcement followed a Sunday visit by the governor to the project site, which he said would attract tourists due to proximity to the Giza Pyramids.

A total of EGP 21m has been allocated by the governorate to develop roads in the area of Haram Street, with Abdel Rahman pointed out that the governorate has spent EGP 25m on this over the past two years.

The tourism sector struggled in 2013 after many European and foreign governments warned travel agencies in August to stop selling holiday packages to Egypt amid rising fears of violence after the dispersal of a sit-in held by supporters of former president Mohamed Morsi.

The Ministry of Finance recently announced that tourism revenues in the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2013/2014 are down 66% year on year, registering $1.9bn. Minister of Tourism Hisham Zaazou announced last week an increase in visa fees for tourists visiting the country from $15 to $25. In a positive outlook, however, Zaazou said he expected the number of tourists to increase by 3 million in 2014 to 12.5 million, up from 9.5 million in 2013, generating $11bn in revenues.

Source: dailynewsegypt.com

facsimile of the tomb of Tutankhamen installed in Luxor – official opening on 30th April 2014

facsimile of the tomb of Tutankhamen installed in Luxor – official opening on 30th April 2014.

facsimile of the tomb of Tutankhamen installed in Luxor – official opening on 30th April 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exact facsimile of the tomb of Tutankhamen installed in Luxor  – official  opening on 30th April 2014

The exact facsimile of the tomb of Tutankhamun has been installed underground in a building  next to Carters house, at the entrance to the valley of the kings and is due to be officially opened on 30th April 2014.

The facsimile , made by Factum Arte, Madrid is the most accurate large -scale  facsimile to be made to date .This is the culmination of many years work and is an important milestone in the approach to responsible heritage management and the use of advanced technology in the promotion of sustainable tourism . it has been made with the full support of Mr.Hisham Zaazou  the Egyptian  Minister of  tourism , the minister of state for Antiquities and with the backing of the European Union . The facsimile is a gift to the people of Egypt from Factum Foundation . Its housed in an underground building designed by the tarek waly center : Heritage and Architecture , Cairo .The Public opening will be 1st may 2014

The work has involved the development of advanced 3D technologies  for recording the tombs and perfecting the method to replicate them. Its the first stage of a larger project that involves the creation of Facsimiles of the tombs of Seti I and Nefertari – both currently closed to the general public .

The Need for a facsimile :

The Tomb of Tutankhamun was hidden for over 3000 years , but since its discovery in 1922 it has rapidly deteriorated – not due to neglect but rather because it was not built to accommodate the vast numbers of people who visit each day ; in 2011it was announced by the Supreme council of Antiquities that the original tomb must be closed for conservation reasons .The original tomb is currently open giving visitors a unique opportunity to visit both of it and the facsimile and compare the experience. the facsimile is part of an initiative to safeguard the tombs of the Theeban Necropolis that are either closed to the public for for conservation reasons or are in need of closure to preserve them for future generations.

The facsimile of the Tomb of Tutankhamun will give visitors an opportunity to understand history of the tomb since its discovery, encourage conservation of the original site and establish Egypts Ministry of Antiquities as a world leader supporting the use of high – resolution documentation to monitor the condition of the Tombs.

The Gift and Installation of the facsimile has very specific objects:

1. To promote a positive and Sustainable approach to tourism – and to encourage an awareness that sustainable tourism can be a positive force in the conservation of Egypt s cultural heritage.

2. To facilitate the transfer of technology and skills to set up workshops on Luxors west bank to carry out the recording and production of facsimiles of tombs of Seti I and Queen Nefertari to create long term skilled jobs in Luxor .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Important news about Egypt entry visa

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAIRO, Egypt –

Egypt will increase tourist visa fees from $15 to $25 starting on May 1, 2014.

According to Hesham Zazou, tourism minister, the increase is slight and is not expected to affect the flow of tourists to the country.

The decision to increase the cost of a tourist visa to Egypt was previously postponed several times. The decision was initially meant to be implemented in November 2013. It was then postponed to February 2014, and finally to 1 May.

According to the tourism ministry, Egypt’s visa is still amongst the cheapest worldwide.

The number of tourists visiting Egypt in the first two months of 2014 dropped 28 percent to 1.3 million in comparison to January and February 2013.

As the security situation in South Sinai has deteriorated under a growing militant insurgency, Germany issued a warning against travel to the peninsula.

Egypt’s revenues from tourism, a key source of foreign currency, dropped drastically after the 2011 revolution amid subsequent political instability and violence.

Source: ahram.org.eg

Umm Kulthum Museum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The preparation for founding the Umm Kulthum Museum began in 1998, and the museum was open to the public in Dec.2001. Umm Kulthum’s role as a pop singer, cultural icon in both the Egyptian community and the Arabic world contributed enormously to the creative phase of Egyptian modern history.
Therefore, it is important to preserve this legendary tradition through collecting Umm Kuhlthum’s music, personal belongings, and related artifacts and to house them in a well established archive center.
In this process, CDF is proud to take the leadership role in supervising and funding the museum. Moreover, in order to enrich the museum collection, CDF is also responsible for collecting lesser -known personal traits and artifacts through countless direct contacts with Umm Kulthum’s family members, hoping to provide with the public a more comprehensive view of Egyptian music during the 20th century.
Located on the Roda island, the Museum, a destination to display and store Umm Kulthum’s items, shares the 250m2 building attached to the Minsterley Palace. Another reason for choosing this location is that it contains the Nile-meter, the second oldest Islamic monument in Cairo and that it is adjacent to the 161 year-old Minsterley Palace (1000m2). The significant importance of this historical area reinforces Umm Kulthum’s
cultural status in Egypt.

The Umm Kulthum Museum
consists of four halls:
The Main Hall:
It displays the collection of her dresses, awards and pendants, five collages of her photos, as well as correspondences and letters.

The Cinema Hall:
It displays a documentary movie commissioned for the opening of
the museum about Umm Kulthum, and the hall seats a maximum of 30 people

The Multimedia Hall:
It consists of a digital archival system with bilingual notes (Arabic and English?) about her life, a complete list of her songs in audio and video formats, as well as a collection of her photos. In addition, there is a collection of archive of newspaper clippings about her from 19242000- and the most important written biography about her.

The Panorama Hall:
It features a 10-minute documentary photos in an artistic way accompanied by well-known
Egyptian composer “Ragh Daood.” Since Sep. 2011, and there is a monthly Saloon held in the museum, beside a bunch of music outreach programs to reach various audience; especially students. In addition, the museum is adapting a new topic in reaching out to the
world by presenting Umm Kulthum Open Daily from 9 am – 4 pm (except for National Days)
Tickets: Ordinary LE 2
Students LE 1
Foreigners LE 6
1 El-Malek El-Saleh street, Manyal, Telfax: 23631467
http://www.facebook.com/museum.ummkulthum – cdf@cdf-eg.org

India By The Nile Festival in Egypt

Cairo: Unfazed by political unrest in Egypt, India will launch the second edition of a mega cultural extravaganza, including a Bollywood musical, to showcase vibrant bilateral ties and make the relationship more dynamic.

“I think a festival like this gets a lot of visibility and demonstrates that India has taken a major initiative here. That generates goodwill, both at the official level and amongst the public,” India’s Ambassador to Egypt Navdeep Suri told PTI ahead of the “India by the Nile” festival this week.

The festival, running from April 1-20, will have a grand opening with Bollywood Love Story- A Musical at the Opera House from the April 3 to 6, and will see more than 35 Indian dancers performing to the much-loved music of Indian cinema.

The musical will also travel to three major Egyptian cities namely Alexandria, Hurghada and Luxor. The festival is being held for the second consecutive year in Egypt.

Suri said events like these make the relationship between one of the leading emerging economies, India, and the largest country in the Middle East, Egypt, more “dynamic and vibrant”.

Asked about the timing of the festival with political unrest in Egypt, Suri said, “We are aware, of course, about the various incidents of violence but as residents of Egypt, we also see the extent to which daily life continues normally.”

“We have always enjoyed close ties with Egypt and there is a genuine fondness for Indian culture amongst the Egyptian people. But we can’t get complacent and take things for granted. The festival is part of the embassy’s pro-active approach to reach out to the Egyptian public and to promote cultural understanding,” he said.

Suri said Bollywood was quite popular in Egypt and for this reason a number of Bollywood-themed events were planned in the festival, including the big Bollywood-style musical and the participation of Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar.

“We are keen to convey a more composite picture of Indian culture, to tell our Egyptian friends that there is more to India than Bollywood. And so we have Kathak dance, Rajasthani foil music, conversations among writers, cuisine and much more,” he said.

The Ambassador stressed that India stands to gain from engaging with Egypt by helping it build institutions of democracy and investing in the economic sector.

“We have a number of economic cooperation projects in the pipeline and work continuously to enhance trade and investment flows,” he said.

@ http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/india-to-launch-mega-cultural-fest-in-egypt_921309.html

Danny Glover to be honoured at Luxor film festival and he is today in Cairo

 

 

 

 

 

The Luxor African Film Festival begins on Tuesday with a screening of Guinea-Bissau’s The Children’s Republic, starring Danny Glover

The third Luxor African Film Festival will begin on Tuesday.

The festival will open with a screening of Flora Gomes’s The Children’s Republic, a joint production between Portugal and Guinea-Bissau, about a small, fictional country in Africa where children rule after every adult abandons the place. The country prospers, but the children can no longer grow.

The film’s director, as well as its star, Danny Glover, will be present at the opening ceremony in Luxor’s famous temple. He will be receiving an honourary award for his long and fruitful career in film.

In the Long Narratives competition, Egypt is taking part with The Mice Room, while in the Short Narratives and Short Documentaries competition, Egypt’s contenders are El-Bostan El-Said Street, Sidhom and Erkie. In the Freedom Films competition, Egypt’s entry is Logical Revolt, while I Am the Film Director, another Egyptian film, will be screened in the out-of-competition selection.

Forty-one African countries are participating in the festival with more than 55 films, in addition to nine non-African countries taking part in the Freedom Films competition.

@Ahram online