Construction of the Cairo Eye (عين القاهرة) is officially set to kick off, with Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities laying a foundation stone at an official ceremony on Thursday. The Cairo Eye will be located along the Nile River in the upscale district of Zamalek and will occupy approximately 20,000 square metres of land. The 120 metre high Cairo Eye, which is set to be the largest observation wheel in Africa and the fifth largest in the world, is scheduled to be launched in 2022 and will cost EGP 500 million (USD 31 million) to establish. In addition to the observation wheel, a number of ancillary services will be introduced to tackle congestion and to provide visitors with new means of travelling to the Cairo Eye. This includes a Cairo Eye Nile taxi (i.e. a ferry), free hop-on and hop-off Cairo Eye buses and a two-level car park with a capacity for 500 vehicles. Initial reports suggest the cost of financing for the construction of the project will be borne by Hawai for Tourism and Investment, which is leading the project. In statements to Daily News Egypt, the Chairperson…
