Egypt set a record in inbound tourism in 2024, attracting 15.7 million visitors from diverse markets, despite facing geopolitical challenges in the region. This announcement came from Sherif Fathi, Egyptian minister of Tourism and Antiquities.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Tourism after his participation in a Senate Committee meeting on Culture, Tourism, Antiquities, and Media, Fathi underscored that the achievements in Egypt’s tourism sector—against both regional and global challenges—are the result of collaborative efforts that need to be sustained.Â
The minister shared insights into his ministry’s current strategy and goals aimed at advancing the tourism and antiquities sector. He underlined the importance of showcasing Egypt’s varied capabilities, resources, and offerings in tourism and antiquities, asserting that these elements position Egypt as a leading global tourist destination in terms of diversity.
Read more: Egypt welcomes 27 percent more tourists in four months, says vice minister for tourism
Investment opportunities and future growth
Fathi also introduced plans to create an Investment Opportunities Bank, which will prepare a comprehensive investment map of all available tourism investment prospects and promote them both domestically and internationally. Furthermore, he projected the addition of 40,000 new hotel rooms to Egypt’s existing capacity in the near future.
Enhancing tourism products and marketing
The minister highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance all types of tourism products and experiences, promote new tourism concepts, integrate various offerings, and implement a thorough marketing strategy for these products.
Egypt’s tourism sector experienced a 5 percent rise in revenues, reaching $6.6 billion in the first half of 2024, up from $6.3 billion during the same period in 2023. The latest figures from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities indicated that Egypt welcomed 7.069 million tourists between January and June 2024, surpassing the previous record of 7.062 million visitors during the same timeframe last year. This marks a 0.1 percent increase compared to 2023 and a 2.4 percent increase from 2010.
The ministry further reported that tourism revenues in Egypt saw an 18 percent increase from $5.6 billion in 2010, a year that was a peak for tourism in the country. The uptick in tourist arrivals significantly boosted the number of nights spent in Egypt, totaling 70.2 million during the first half of 2024, compared to 67.6 million nights in 2023 and 65.7 million nights in 2010.
Supporting Egypt’s tourism strategy
This growth aligns with Egypt’s National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism 2030, which aims to draw more visitors to the country while increasing the number of inbound airline seats and hotel accommodations. It also contributes to the strategy’s objectives of elevating visitor traffic to 30 million by 2028. In the first four months of 2024 alone, Egypt’s tourism revenues reached $4.3 billion, with the country receiving 4.6 million tourists.
In 2023, Egypt achieved a historic milestone by welcoming 14.906 million tourists, surpassing a previous record of 14.731 million visitors set in 2010. Tourism revenues increased by 8 percent year-on-year, totaling approximately $13.2 billion last year.
Tourism investments
As Egypt navigates local economic challenges and regional tensions, it aims to strengthen its tourism sector by attracting greater investments. During the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024, Dr. Ghada Shalaby, Egypt’s Vice Minister for Tourism at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, highlighted the government’s intentions to draw more investments from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to develop tourist destinations throughout the country.
One of the most significant projects approved in recent times is the construction of an international tourist port in Ras El-Hekma. This project is designed to accommodate tourist cruises and yachts and is part of a larger initiative to transform Ras El-Hekma into a dynamic urban and tourism hub.
