Some have been significantly hurt by the delayed GEM opening: From souvenir shop owners to tourism agents, a lot of those who work with tourists are mourning what could’ve been following the government delaying the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). In its latest report, the AFP interviews souvenir shops and bazaar owners and others in the tourism industry to learn who they have been impacted by the delayed opening — most have been counting on a surge in tourism arrivals that would’ve increased footfall.

What’s the damage? The delay has left tourism operators scrambling to revise packages and refund bookings, while vendors near the pyramids say they’ve suffered heavy losses after investing in renovations and inventory in anticipation of a visitor boom. “We planned our entire summer and fall packages around the museum opening … But with group cancellations, refunds and route changes, we've lost tens of thousands of USDs,” one agent said.

REMEMBER- The government delayed the opening of the museum following Israel striking Iran mid-June — the grand opening was pushed from 3 July to the last quarter of the year. The museum was expected to attract up to 5 mn visitors a year and provide a boost to a sector that employs around 10% of Egypt’s workforce.

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