Behind each famous monument in Egypt is a story that tells a longstanding historical value, giving the country a soul and, undoubtedly, a unique identity.
However, heritage and cultural ignorance by many Egyptians has led to a fading sense of belonging and an unawareness of its economic ramifications on the tourism sector.
Inspired by all this, the group “Keep Calm and Discover Egypt” was born. Named in Arabic “Ana Awla Bahlwtha,” which means “we have more right to enjoy its beauty,” the initiative mainly aims to provide awareness-raising activities that involve hands-on learning and understanding Egyptian heritage for locals, subsequently hoping to pave the way for domestic tourism revenue growth rates.
“Egyptians need to open their eyes to the beauty of their own country as well as their minds to their great civilization,” Ahmed Zakarya, founder of Keep Calm and Discover Egypt and a fresh engineering graduate, said.
Egypt is a key cultural tourism destination encompassing an immensely diverse and extraordinary wealth of heritage. However, the tourism market has suffered a more than 30 percent drop in revenues due to the recent political unrest.
“The number of international trips witnessed a sharp fall after the catastrophic consequences of the country’s political deteriorating situation,” he said. “So, the attempt to rebound the number of domestic trips is worth trying in hopes of breathing life into crumbling tourism sector.”
In October 2012, Zakarya with the help of a group of young volunteers set up a Facebook page for posting pictures of local tourist attractions that represented authentic heritage and culture, yet mostly unexplored.
The initiative was received with a favorable feedback, arousing the curiosity of people to know more about these destinations.
“Many people were astonished, when they knew through pictures posted on our Facebook page, that these amazing places actually exist in Egypt though they didn’t even have an idea,” Zakarya explained.
Here was when Zakarya found it a suitable time to implement the idea into practice and started organizing trips weekly to breathtaking spots in Cairo and other governorates.
Siwa, Aswan, Saint Catherine's Monastery, Sultan El-Nasir Muhammad Ibn Qalawun Mosque and Mogamma al-Adyan (Complex of Religions), were among the initiative’s sightseeing tours.
But, according to Zakarya, the lesser-known tourist destinations, such as The Pharaoh Island in Taba and Gaya-Anderson Museum, are usually met with more enthusiasm and much anticipation.
In an attempt to make the tour about more than simply an entertaining experience, the initiative offers for free an explanation of the tourist places in a simplified and enjoyable way with the help of representatives of the faculty of archeology.
“The main purpose of the initiative is promoting educational tourism, a concept based on a trusted and creative learning tactic,” Zakarya said.
“We usually study history in schools, and then forget all about it after exam. This is because our curriculums present in-depth information through an academic, non-motivational technique.”
Zakarya added explaining that despite the fact that most people know the name and the location of famous monuments in Egypt, they have no idea why they were built for or the historical value that lies in them.
For example, Zakarya pointed out, Sabil Umm Abbas (an old public water dispenser) situated on Saliba Street emphasizes the female pivotal role in the charitable sector at the time.
The initiative has already proven success by bringing people from different walks of life for a common purpose.
“We are putting ideas on the table nowadays for coming up with more unique tourist spots, so we can cover all valuable tourist destinations across our country,” Zakarya concluded.
You can visit the initiative’s Facebook page to keep updated with the schedule of upcoming tours.
