The Giza Plateau, near Cairo, Egypt. AFP
On Tuesday, owners and operators of horse and camel rides, who have provided rides to tourists on the Giza Plateau since immemorial, blocked tour buses at the entrance of a new pathway designated for new electric vehicles to transport visitors on the plateau..
They were protesting their relocation to new "parking zones" on the plateau, which they deemed too far from tourists' entry points to the site and thus detrimental to their livelihoods.
The Giza Plateau revamping project — a collaboration between the state and Orascom Pyramids Entertainment (OPE) — has changed the site's entrance from the historic entrance to the Pyramids near the Marriott Mena House to a new entry point on the Fayoum Highway, south of the Giza Pyramids, to alleviate congestion and address pollution concerns.
The new system bars private vehicles and tour buses from entering the plateau site and provides eco-friendly electric vehicles for visitors and their guides.
Meanwhile, some visitors and tour guides took to social media to express their frustrations and share stories depicting the chaos that ensued as they struggled to tour the site amid an "insufficient number of electric vehicles."
OPE, responsible for operating electric vehicles on site, stated that the trial operation's initial hours went smoothly, with a record 13,800 visitors between 7:00am and 11:00am on Tuesday.
The company said problems began at 11:00am after the number of visitors increased significantly and horse and camel owners blocked the entry to the site at several points.
The company said the protesters disrupted transport into and on the site and threatened the safety of its employees and its buses.
Despite these disruptions, OPE affirmed its commitment to completing the trial operation and finding practical solutions for any operational and logistical problems in coordination with the government.
OPE revealed that it would allow tour companies to use their electric buses on the plateau for transport.
The ministry attributed the disruption in transportation in the area to the failure of some horsemen and camel owners "to adhere to designated parking zones," which led to delays in the arrival of buses transporting visitors between the various visitation routes in the area at the specified times."
The ministry stressed that the animal owners were swiftly ushered to their designated locations, and bus traffic resumed smoothly.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced that the plateau received 12,000 visitors - a 120 percent increase over its average daily visitors.
It added that Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy directed officials to increase the number of tourist buses operating on the plateau.
While sticking by its commitment to a long-term plan to introduce electric buses, the ministry approved the immediate deployment of additional diesel buses to ease transportation.
Furthermore, the ministry affirmed that it would closely monitor the trial operation to ensure a smooth and efficient experience for all visitors and guides as the new system is fully implemented.
The Great Pyramids of Giza, the last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World, remain a powerful symbol of Egypt's seven-thousand-year-old heritage and a pillar for its tourism industry and foreign currency flows.
In 2024, Egypt welcomed a record 15.7 million tourists, surpassing the previous record 14.9 million visitors set in 2023, and generated $14.1 billion in total revenue.
The Egyptian government has developed a national tourism strategy, including revamping the Giza Plateau, to boost the sector to attract 30 million visitors by 2028.
Short link: