Manchester United footballing legend Ryan Giggs promised Egyptians on Thursday that he will be back for a second "longer" trip to visit the country, after spending time in the country as part of an UEFA tour. "My trip in Cairo is a short one, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. What a trip it has been," the British footballer said during a press conference at an Al-Ahram Beverage event in Cairo. The 43-year-old football star came to Cairo for an event held by Heineken Egypt, bringing the legendary UEFA Champions League cup to the heart of Cairo. "I offer my sincere thanks to the Egyptian people for how they made me feel since I stepped out from the airport in Cairo," Giggs said. On Wednesday, around two thousand fans attended the event near the Pyramids, taking photos with Giggs and the cup. Several public figures attended the event, including the country's Tourism Minister Yehia Rashed. "The excitement I witnessed through the fans with the trophy will always be remarkable," Giggs said. Giggs visited the Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, describing the trip as "like going back to school." "Coming from the UK, the Pyramids and the Nile are the first things that come in mind when you're asked about Egypt, but there is much more than this," he added. "I'll definitely be back, it's a great country," he said, adding that next time he will make sure is family is with him, as it would be "educational about the historic country." "My son is learning about Egypt now at school, so hopefully he gets nice marks," Giggs said. The head of the country's Tourism Authority, Hesham El-Demiery, said Giggs's visit was an "opportunity to show that Egypt is coming back stronger than before." "This is the time for Egypt to show the world its capabilities," El-Demiery said. Egypt has been aiming to attract international celebrities in recent months to support its tourism sector, which has suffered in the wake of the political turmoil of recent years. Last month, Hollywood star Will Smith paid a visit to the Giza Plateau with his family, where they met with well-known archaeologist and former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass for a tour around the Sphinx and inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu. In February, Barcelona star Lionel Messi visited Egypt for one day to promote the country's Tour n' Cure medical tourism campaign, which runs combined tourism and hepatitis C treatment travel packages for tourists visiting the country.
