President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday inaugurated two more airports near Cairo in a bid to lure tourists as Egypt aims to recover from the economic downturn caused by coronavirus. One airport is in Egypt’s new administrative capital, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) to the east, that the government hopes to turn into a hub that reduces traffic in the sprawling 20-million strong megacity of Cairo. The other is called Sphinx Airport in Giza, south of the capital. Both will soon handle flights from abroad, in addition to Cairo international airport, after authorities announced the return of all commercial flights starting 1 July.
Sisi also unveiled the restored Baron Empain Palace in eastern Cairo, built by wealthy Belgian industrialist Edouard Empain between 1907 and 1911. The architectural masterpiece is constructed in a style reminiscent of the Cambodian Hindu temple of Angkor Wat set amid lush gardens. The facelift which began in 2017 cost over $6 million.
The spree of openings come after Egypt officially ended a three-month nighttime curfew on Saturday. Cafes and shops have re-opened but public beaches and parks remain closed as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. Egypt has recorded more than 65,000 COVID-19 cases including over 2,700 deaths.
