The main facade of the Egypt’s Grand Museum. Photo Courtesy: Egypt’s Grand Museum
Ahead of the Grand Museum opening, Egypt and TikTok have signed a deal to livestream the “historic moment” in a bid to make pharaohs and ancient treasures go viral.
By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency
After decades of delays, Egyptian government has confirmed this November 1, as the official opening date for the world’s largest archaeological museum, the Grand Egyptian Museum.
The North African country is betting big on the US$1 billion complex and a partnership with short form video platform, TikTok to cement it’s cultural influence and prop up its tourism ambitions.
In mid-August, the Egyptian government signed a deal with United Media Services and TikTok, making the short-video platform the official digital partner for the opening. The strategy is to repackage heritage storytelling for the growing digital savvy generation of travellers who increasingly turn to social media for inspiration.
“We are proud to be the official digital partner for one of the most significant cultural events of 2025. This partnership underlines TikTok’s vision of merging heritage with technology to deliver inspiring experiences to audiences everywhere,” said TikTokNorth Africa’s head of public policy, Wael Ezzat, in linkedIn post.
As part of the collaboration, TikTok will livestream the opening ceremony worldwide via TikTok LIVE, allowing millions to witness the historic moment in real time. Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiques has moonlighted on the facilities planned grand opening, promising a ‘historic moment’ that reflects the museums scale and its symbolic importance.
“The opening will be marked by international attendance and special cultural activations, celebrating Egypt’s timeless heritage on a global stage,” the ministry said on GEM’s official ticketing site.
By enlisting TikTok as its digital partner, Cairo is betting that the grandeur of ancient Egyptian Kings like Tutankhamun’s treasures and the symbolism of Ramses II, who many historians consider his reign the pinnacle of Egyptian art and culture, will go viral and attract bookings. Tourism is Egypt’s third-largest source of foreign exchange after remittances and hydrocarbons. The sector brought in 14.9 million visitors in 2023, generating US $13.2 billion in revenue, and Cairo has set a target of doubling arrivals to 30 million by 2031.
The museum located within sight of the Sphinx, and designed to host more than 100,000 artifacts, is expected to attract between 5 million to 7 million visitors annually once fully operational. The Sphinx, which depicts ia mythical creature with the head of a human and the body of a lion, is one of the largest sculptures in the world and an iconic symbol of ancient Egypt.
The Grand Egyptian Museum is currently offering limited access to test site readiness and the visitor experience ahead of its official opening. It will close entirely from October 15 to November 4, 2025, to complete organisational and logistical preparations.
“Admission is currently limited to the Main Galleries, Grand Hall, Grand Staircase, commercial area, and exterior gardens. Access to the Tutankhamun galleries and Khufu’s Boats Museum is restricted until the official opening,” read a notification on GEM’s website. Officials said the museum will reopen to visitors on the morning of November 4 to offer full tourist experience for the first time.
“The museum will resume visitors starting on the morning of November 4, which marks the 103rd anniversary of the discovery of the Golden King Tutankh Amun’s tomb, during official working hours, so that visitors can enjoy the full tourist experience of the museum,” added the notice.
TikTok is also rolling out exclusive creative tools including a customized Grand Egyptian Museum filter, virtual gifts inspired by Egyptian symbols such as the pyramids and editing templates built around Egypt’s cultural heritage to amplify the event.
The discovery of Tutankhamun’s largely intact tomb in 1922 is considered one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in the modern era. The full Tutankhamun collection of 5,300 items, will be displayed for the first time in its entirety with the aid of augmented reality and spatial mapping.
TikTok will also host a “Night at the Museum” activation, offering international creators a rare chance to explore the complex after hours with local guides and broadcast their experiences directly to global audiences. Such partnerships leveraging digital platforms reflects a growing trend of tourism boards across Africa using social media platforms to expand reach. Kenya’s tourism agency partnered with TikTok in 2022 to livestream the wildebeest migration, attracting millions of online viewers.
It appears, Cairo hopes GEM will offer a similar draw but on a far larger scale, reinforcing Egypt’s role as one of the world’s most visited cultural destinations.
Culture is becoming a decisive factor in global travel choices, according to findings from flight comparison site Skyscanner. Its ‘HORIZONS 2023-2024 Destination & Booking Insights’ report shows that 54 per cent of travellers now cite cultural appeal as a key reason for visiting a destination. That places culture just behind food (58 per cent) and weather (60 per cent).
“From gig trippers catching their favourite band or artist abroad, to celebration vacationers creating memorable milestone moments away, travellers are letting culture drive their decision-making,” according to the report. The report also shows that digital platforms are helping travelers get inspiration for their choice destinations. YouTube tops the list, with 40 per cent of global travellers watching videos to discover their next trip.
While traditional word-of-mouth remains powerful at 35 per cent among most of Africa’s tourism source markets, social media platforms are closing the gap. Instagram influences 33 per cent of travellers, while Facebook (26 per cent) and TikTok (21 per cent) are climbing rapidly, particularly in markets such as the UAE, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and India. While YouTube remains strong across age groups, Gen Z travellers are gravitating towards short-form video platforms like Instagram and TikTok, especially in Africa.
“Destination choice is increasingly influenced by not only cultural factors but also the particular ‘vibe’ that aligns with individual preferences and motivations,” said Skyscanner’s Destination Marketing Director Mike Ferguson.
The opening of Grand Egyptian Museum comes more than two decades after former president Hosni Mubarak laid the foundation stone in 2002. Political upheaval, funding constraints and shifting priorities however delayed construction, which was revived under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s administration.
bird story agency.