Africa

With tourism booming, Egypt showcases new discoveries from its ancient past

Travelers fill the lobby of one of Luxor’s hotels. The city is a hotspot for domestic and international tourists. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Inside the 3,500-year-old funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass says his team’s new findings reveal that Egypt’s first female pharaoh died of cancer. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

These bas-reliefs, excavated in the vicinity of the temple, are rare examples of sculptural art from the approximate time of Queen Hatshepsut’s reign. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

The unveiling ceremony for the site’s recovered stone-cut tombs, burial shafts, and assortment of personal and cultural artifacts draws in hundreds of people, from journalists to tourists, diplomats to scholars. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities calls its mission with the Zahi Hawass Foundation “the first major archaeological breakthrough of 2025,” after three years of work amid one of the world’s driest and hottest climates. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Mohamed Othman, chairman of the Cultural Tourism Marketing Committee, says the war in Gaza has impacted tourist flows to Egypt, "but we’ve seen an 18.5% increase in 2024 reservations and project 20.5% for this year." (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

The 14th edition of the Luxor African Film Festival, with entries from over 20 countries, opens at Luxor Temple. Mahmoud Hemeida, honorary president, says, “We hold the festival in Luxor to promote our heritage and city.” (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Egyptian and Sudanese singers join at the opening ceremony, Jan. 9, 2025. Festival founders chose Luxor's open-air museum for its location. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Against the backdrop of the Temple of Hatshepsut, hot-air balloons rise above runners in Luxor’s 32nd Egypt International Marathon. Organizers say the event attracted 430 participants from 45 countries this year. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Despite the tourism boom, Abu Aish, an alabaster vendor, says people "are buying fewer and smaller souvenirs. Our profits are minimal.” (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)