WHOOSH GOES CAIRO: Innovations in Tourism Presentations, Workshops, Public Tour and Walking Party

In October 2025, Eugene made a Zoom Talk, for the BMEIA and Austrian Cultural Forum, aimed at urbanists, architects, city-planners, researchers and Tour Guides across the Middle East (Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Qatar and Egypt) about the concept of Whoosh, and our unusual events in urban walking, social-dining, dance, campaigning, political joy and gaming. Some of the Egyptian audience liked the ideas so much, we are now invited to come over to Cairo (in Ramadan!) to make these kinds of projects live on the streets of the big city.

We want to train up some Egyptians to adapt our approach for a local audience. Whoosh is critical, contemporary, political and celebratory. We create tourism for locals, and want to start some debates and bring lively groups together to build new networks.

And since Eugene does not fly, for ecological reasons - and loves slow travel - so he will live blog the ride down to Africa by bus, passing through Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Jordan and into Egypt.

Thanks to Iris and everybody at the Austrian Cultural Forum in Cairo, and the network of Austrian Embassies across the middle east, for the initial impulse, and now to Mohamed Yehia and the team at Semsemia Tours for delivering this complex cooperation. See you all in February!

This is another reminder that our project of city storytelling is not just about events, but also messaging and visibility of innovation in Vienna.