Egypt's antiquities minister announced on Friday the opening of five archaeological tombs in Luxor for visitors free of charge until the end of September.
The announcement was made during the inauguration of tombs that belong to the eighteenth and nineteenth dynasties on the west bank of Luxor, after their restoration by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Citing the Director General of Upper Egypt Antiquities in the Ministry Mustafa Waziri, state-run MENA reported that the decision includes the opening of three tombs belonging to ancient Egyptian workers in Deir al-Medina on the West Bank.
Waziri said the decision to open the tombs for free entry comes in the framework of supporting and promoting tourism in Egypt.
Egypt is currently trying to revive its tourism sector, which was a main source of income in Egypt until a popular uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 triggered five years of political turmoil, taking its toll on the sector.
U.S. ambassador to Egypt Stephen Beecroft said during the inauguration that Egypt should continue to benefit from the tourism sector as an engine for growth and provide jobs for young people in this sector.
source:aswat masriya
