US TV network Discovery is set to produce three videos to promote Egypt's new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which is set to open in 2020, the Egyptian tourism ministry said on Sunday.

The videos are planned to be broadcast in a number of countries to promote the long-awaited opening of the museum, a cornerstone of Egypt's efforts to develop its tourism industry.

As part of the ministry's deal with Discovery, which was announced in September, the videos will be broadcast on the network's Discovery Channel, TLC and the Travel Channel in Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa and the United States, as well as on its social media platforms, the ministry said in a statement.

Discovery will also broadcast a series of episodes about the Red Sea resort town of Marsa Alam, the Siwa Oasis and the White Desert as part of Egypt's Branding by Destination programme. It will also show material on Egypt's 'People to People' campaign, which aims to highlight the diversity of the Egyptian people and culture.

The new Grand Egyptian Museum will be home to an exceptional collection of ancient Egyptian relics when it opens next year near the Pyramids of Giza, Minister of Tourism Rania Al-Mashat said in an interview with Discovery network.

The full set of Egypt’s boy-king Tutankhamun, which includes about 5,000 artefacts, will be on display in the museum for the first time since the discovery of his tomb in 1922.

Al-Mashat also explained that the newly-opened Sphinx International Airport - which is located near the Giza Pyramids and only 15 minutes away from the GEM - will help tourists visiting the capital easily access diverse destinations across the country.

The deal with Discovery is part of a series of agreements Egypt recently signed with leading media and travel companies including CNN, Expedia and China's Ctrip and Beautiful Destination to help boost its tourism sector, a key pillar of the economy and a major source of hard currency.