The Grand Egyptian Museum is one of the most important cultural projects meant to support the national economy and tourism in Egypt, Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh el-Damati has said.
Damati, who attended a conference on tourism in France, told MENA correspondent that he stressed the need to support the GEM project.
The museum will be open to up to five million visitors once completed in 2017, Damati said, adding this figure is apt to increase to eight million five years later.
The conference, which focused on tourism as an engine of economic growth in Mediterranean countries, also tackled a partnership to promote tourism to Egypt.