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Difficult to visit today because of poor infrastructure, tourism advocates say sites on the ‘Holy Family Trail’ could attract up to six million new visitors per year with a relatively low rate of investment
Blessed be Egypt, my people ” (Isaiah 19:25) According to tradition, this Old Testament chapter foretold the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt, seeking refuge from King Herod of Judea. The Gospel of Matthew and other accounts in the New Testament and Apocrypha tell how the Holy Family spent between three to four years in Egypt, entering through Rafah and stopping at some 20 other locations on the way to Upper Egypt, including Farama (near Port Said), Zagazig, Minya, Wadi El-Natroun, Memphis (in Badrashein, Assiut), Mataria and Giza.
According to the teachings of the Coptic Church, their journey was fraught with hardships ranging from harsh weather to primitive living conditions.
Tourism professionals consider this lineup of sites — dubbed The Holy Family Trail — a major attraction for Christian religious tour groups, yet the country sees a very low volume of devoted pilgrims because, 2,000 years later, visitors to these locations still have to endure the same hardships (Roman persecution excepted, of course).
“Almost all locations [on the trail] are inadequate and lack primary infrastructure and facilities such as restrooms and accommodations,” says Mahmoud El-Kaissouni, chairman of the ecotourism committee at the Egyptian Tourism Federation and a high-profile advocate of reform in the tourism industry.
In addition to a lack of water, gas and electrical facilities, he adds, there is also the problem that few of the sites have the security presence necessary for Westerners visiting Upper Egypt, nor are there proper hotels and restaurants of Western standard. Finally, he says, many roads leading to Holy Family locations in Egypt are either unpaved or too narrow to allow buses to pass.
“These locations can be very appealing to people, but the Ministry of Tourism has to launch a heavy publicity campaign to raise more awareness,” says Yasser Taha, head of public relations at Nile Egypt Melody travel agency. Concerned that, beyond the physical discomforts, the lack of development might actually cause danger to clients, he simply says, “We cannot risk losing our guests.”
Amir Fahim, manager of Ibn Katib travel agency, says they face different problems when they arrange for such tours. “Obstacles we face mainly relate to lack of restrooms, cafeterias and accommodation,” Fahim says, adding that they have problems with transportation because some roads are not well constructed or because sometimes bus drivers do not know the route and lose their way.
“Our guests are mostly from South America, and some are from Mexico and France,” he says. “If [Egypt] starts renovating these locations, the number of guests will multiply.”
“We are overlooking a treasure that will be a source of enormous benefits,” El-Kaissouni says. “No one is doing anything about it, and it’s about time we brought new blood to tourism in Egypt and grab international attention. France, for example, generates about $2 billion per year only because the Virgin Mary appeared to a young girl in one of its cities. Assiut, on the other hand, is one of the poorest provinces of Egypt, even though it hosts five locations actually visited by the Holy Family, including El-Mahra Monastery, where they lived for six months.”
El-Kaissouni estimates that Holy Family tourism could attract around 6 million tourists (the same number as go to France for religious tourism) over and above the 8 million currently visiting Egypt each year. A little goes a long way
In 2004, former Minister of Tourism Mamdouh El Beltagui held a conference in Minya and pledged LE 50 million to restore different Pharaonic, Greek, Coptic, and Islamic sites such as Gabal El-Tair and thus promote tourism in underserved governorates, according to Ahmed Abdel Rahman, chairman of the Egyptian Businessmen’s Association for Tourism.
“However, no serious action has been taken until now,” says Abdel Rahman. “It could be because they have not done enough research on the subject, or maybe they feel it will not bring enough money into the country. But it will bring in a lot of money especially because religious tourism strongly impacts people.”
He believes that a LE 50 million budget could accomplish a lot of renovation. Moreover, Abdel Rahman calls on the government to simplify procedures required to buy land and offer Egyptian and foreign investors guarantees that will encourage them to construct hotels, like providing tax-exemptions similar to those for developments in Sharm El-Sheikh. He adds that Egypt should look at the European experience with religious heritage sites to help establish necessary infrastructure.
El-Kaissouni suggests a plan that starts by pinpointing and properly mapping out Holy Family locations. He also proposes that the Ministry of Tourism, along with the Egyptian Tourism Federation, conduct feasibility studies, then invite both Egyptian and foreign investors to begin construction in these locations.
“Investors will be ready to pour in millions of pounds once they are guaranteed they will receive returns on their investments,” he says. “That is why we have to present our ideas and plans in a practical and logical way.” In order to attract investors, El-Kaissouni explains, a minimum of infrastructure must be in place. “The budget could be limited — ideas such as providing portable toilets, sources for electricity and water, building adequate roads, supplying drivers and security personnel with walkie-talkies, are simple and can be easily accomplished.” The screen is mightier
To raise awareness of the significance of Holy Family sites, the Egyptian Tourism Federation, in cooperation with National Egyptian Heritage Revival Association (NEHRA), screened a documentary film in February that follows the trail.
Based on Paul Perry’s best selling book, Jesus in Egypt, the film is a co-production of Perry and NEHRA. Directed in English and subtitled in five languages — Arabic, German, Italian, French, and Russian — the film depicts locations visited by the Holy Family in Egypt that tourists can visit. After three years of filming across Egypt and editing in the US, the $2 million film premiered in June 2005.
“One of the major goals of the film is to promote Egypt abroad and portray it in a different way, especially after events such as 9/11,” says Mounir Ghabbour, chairman of NEHRA.
“We wanted to illustrate Egypt as a beautiful and safe country, a message that was clear in the line of the film,” says Ireny Eid, NEHRA’s manager. The film’s producers, however, say the film has an underlying message: We cannot host interested tourists unless these locations are ready.
Established in 1999, NEHRA has independently embarked on projects to promote religious tourism, including restoration of the Tree of Mary in Mataria, which, according to accounts in the Apocrypha and the Qur’an, bent down to conceal the Virgin Mary and Jesus.
Ghabbour, who is also the CEO of the JW Marriott Cairo and Mirage City, has another suggestion for the government: Summon all ministers and governors involved in the Holy Trail restoration and task them with setting a timeframe for implementing the process. He recommends starting with the restoration of some old churches and icons, noting that Farama will be one of the more easily renovated places, as it is almost 20 kilometers away from Port Said and thus readily secured.
“With proper restoration and international publicity, I believe millions of tourists from Eastern Europe, Poland, Czech Republic, and Latin America will flood into the country,” Ghabbour says. “The main objective is to bring foreign currency into the country and create new employment opportunities. However, with the current condition of these locations, I cannot advise travel companies to arrange for tours because they could act as negative publicity that will stick in people’s heads even after restoration
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