Crisis at the Egyptian Pyramids: Tourist numbers plummet 50% in six years, leaving no funds for maintenance

▲ Pyramids (Image / Wikipedia)

By Rita

Once hugely popular, Egypt used to be many people’s top travel destination, but for some reason, fewer travelers have been visiting recently.According to the UK’s Daily Mailreport,years of political instability and a sharp decline in tourists have impacted the upkeep of the heritage sites themselves.

2011 was the year Egypt’s tourism began to decline, as political unrest stemming from the local revolution discouraged visitors. Despite the timeless allure of the pyramids, it has been hard to win back travelers’ hearts.In 2010, an estimated 15 million tourists visited, but by 2015, that number had plummeted by half, to just 6.3 million.

“It’s nothing short of a disaster,” described Zahi Hawass, a professor at Cairo’s American University and an Egyptology expert.

To boost income, various new initiatives have been introduced. For example, the Egyptian Museum — home to the famous mummy of Tutankhamun — is now open 24 hours a day to attract more visitors. These new attempts are all aimed at bringing tourists back.