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Egyptian authorities on Thursday took urgent measures to confront a fraud and forgery scheme involving the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which was inaugurated in a grand ceremony last November.
The Ministry of Tourism said it had dealt with a counterfeit website recently detected online that was selling tickets for visits to the Grand Egyptian Museum.
It added that as soon as the museum’s management became aware of the site, it took all necessary legal measures and notified the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and other relevant bodies, resulting in the shutdown of the offending website.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said that amid the rapid technological advances the world is witnessing today, it is increasingly important for internet users to exercise caution when browsing websites and to ensure that they are official and authorized before engaging with them, making any bookings or electronic payments, or sharing personal and sensitive data.
Ahmed Ghoneim, CEO of the Grand Egyptian Museum Authority, said the only official website authorized to sell tickets for visiting the Grand Egyptian Museum is (visit-gem.com), stressing that no other websites are licensed or approved to sell tickets or provide the museum’s booking services.
Ghoneim urged Egyptian and foreign visitors to rely exclusively on the official website for accurate information and to complete bookings securely. He also called on the public to remain vigilant and avoid dealing with any other websites or online platforms claiming to sell museum entry tickets, stressing that such sites are unofficial, fraudulent, and have no connection to the museum.
He said the museum’s management is continuously monitoring the internet to identify any unauthorized websites falsely claiming to be affiliated with the museum, and is taking legal action against them to ensure they are shut down.
According to the museum’s management, since the start of the trial operation of the main galleries, the museum has seen unprecedented turnout, with reports indicating it receives between 10,000 and 15,000 visitors per day during peak periods.
Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism aims to attract 5 million visitors a year to the Grand Egyptian Museum alone, once the full opening of the “King Tutankhamun Collection” is completed.
European countries, particularly Germany, Italy, and France, along with the United States, top the list of foreign visitors, alongside a strong turnout from Egyptian visitors, including school and university students.
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