Archaeological sites and museums offering 20% discounts in Qena, Luxor and Aswan until August

Tourists visit the temple of Abu Simbel, south of Aswan, 800 kilometres south of Cairo on September 24, 2008. Sudanese forces were laying siege today to a remote desert hideout where bandits have 19 people captive, including European tourists, but said they did not plan to storm the area. The tourists, along with Egyptian drivers, guides and a guard, were snatched by masked gunmen on September 19 during a a desert safari to view prehistoric art around Gilf el-Kabir in southwestern Egypt and then taken to Sudan. AFP PHOTO/KHALED DESOUKI (Photo credit should read KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities in Egypt Ahmed Issa announced a 20 percent discount in ticket prices for archaeological sites and museums in the governorates of Qena, Luxor, and Aswan, during the months of June to August.

The announcement came during a meeting for the Board of Directors of the Supreme Council of Antiquities on Monday, and based on the proposal submitted by the Egyptian Tourism Federation, as part of efforts to increase visitors to these sites and museums and raise the rates of incoming tourist traffic.

It was agreed that the Egyptian General Authority for Tourism Promotion would inform local and international business partners, including tour operators and tourism companies, of the move.