Egypt celebrated World Tourism Day last week by sharing the VISIT-Esna project as a successful model of Value Investment in Sustainable Integrated Tourism (VISIT).
The project is implemented by Takween Integrated Community Development company in partnership with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
VISIT-Esna is a remarkable model that integrates cultural and heritage tourism with the real grassroots needs of the community. Esna, a “Living Time Capsule” as they call it, is one of the oldest governorates of Egypt. Esna, located about 34 miles south of Luxor, has been the trade center of fabrics and agricultural products since ancient Egypt. Rich with its multilayered heritage, be it ancient Egyptian, Coptic, or Islamic, it has always been the destination for tourism, especially Nile cruises. However, tides have turned since the mid-nineties due to building a new barrage that deviated Nile cruises from Esna, which has massively affected the local economy since then. What Takween did was tap into the soul of the historic city, making lots of significant changes in six years.
