Political and Economic Aspects

For Ancient Egyptians, Luxor, known then as Thebes, was a city of great wealth and spiritual importance. As the capital of Upper Egypt during the New Kingdom, the city was a hub for pharaohs and nobles. However, when Thebes declined politically it was replaced as the political capital during the Late Period by cities such as Alexandria. Today, Luxor is Egypt’s smallest governorate. From the 2011 uprising, governors have been replaced frequently, which has caused challenges in the development of infrastructure and the economy. In 2013 former then-president Mohamed Morsi attempted to replace the governor with Adel Mohamed al-Khayat, who was a member of the al-Gama’a al-Islamiya, the group who claimed responsibility for the 1997 Luxor massacre where 62 people were killed at Deir el-Bahari. The outraged Luxor population gathered at the governorate offices to prevent al-Khayat from taking the position.

Like with much of Egypt’s heritage cities, these issues of political instability and terrorism have had a profound impact on the tourism which Luxor relies so heavily on. The economy was hit badly by the 1997 Luxor Massacre which was the worst terrorist attack in Egypt at the time, especially international tourism. In 2011, the Arab Spring caused a drop in tourism to Egypt, and again in 2013 tourism dropped in Luxor due to 19 tourists dying in an air balloon crash. To survive this reduced tourism, many locals cultivate their own food and work in agriculture, especially sugarcane, and other industries such as pottery. 

Following this political instability, the Egyptian Prime Minister, Madbouly, has sought to revitalise Luxor tourism through events highlighting the rich history of the city, such as the reopening of the Avenue of the Sphinxes in 2021. The event brought intangible elements of Egyptian heritage to the ceremony, allowing local people to express the personal meanings they prescribe to these monument to a global audience. Famous Egyptian singers such as Mohamed Hamaki opened the event with the lyrics of "every stone in our country recounts our history", leaning into the idea that the built heritage of Luxor is made significant by local history and heritage. During this song, images of dancers in the Local Market enhanced this idea of ancient heritage, as well as Tahteeb dancers presenting examples of culture. This event was covered internationally by news outlets such as CBS News and BBC News; the international coverage has reignited Egypt as an attractive tourist destination, and has globally reintroduced Egyptian heritage as a cardinal area of historic intrigue.