Egypt announced on Saturday it was postponing the much-heralded opening of its $1-billion Grand Egyptian Museum that had been scheduled for July 3.
A statement by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the museum will now be formally opened on a day to be decided "at a suitable time" during the fourth quarter of this year.
The ministry cited "current regional developments" - a thinly veiled reference to the Israel-Iran conflict - as the reason behind the delay.
"The decision is rooted in the Egyptian state's national responsibility and its desire to present an exceptional global event in a climate that's becoming of the glory of the Egyptian civilisation and its unique legacy," said the statement.
The museum, which had a partial soft opening last year, will continue to receive visitors until the formal opening date approaches, it added.
The museum, the largest in the world to contain artefacts from a single civilisation, was first announced in 2002, when a foundation stone was laid at the site, two kilometres away from the Giza pyramids.
Egypt is forecasting a 6 per cent annual increase in international visitors this year to reach 16.8 million travellers, despite the shadow of regional wars.
It aims to further diversify its offerings and expand into adventure travel and conference meetings, among other avenues, according to Sherif Fathy, Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities.
Egypt may revise its annual forecast upwards later in the year, as the first three months of 2025 showed a 25 per cent annual increase, he said.
“I hope I'm going to announce to you soon a forecast that is higher than 10 per cent, but I'll wait for the second quarter in order to be able to give a more realistic forecast for the year,” he added.
