BRICS+ Series: Safeguarding Egyptian Sites with Sustainable Tourism
Tourism's Power and Perception
Tourism is a rapidly growing industry and a major employer in Egypt, making it vital for the nation's economy as it is one of the top employers and a significant source of foreign currency. By opening its doors to international visitors, Egypt showcases its rich culture, history, cuisine and visiting the ancient great Egyptian marvels. This naturally expands the state's sphere of influence through soft power. Often, perceptions of countries, especially for the Middle Eastern and Arab, are skewed by Western media, which frequently portrays them through lenses of gender inequality, Islamophobia, or terrorism. This portrayal is inaccurate. Tourism often highlights a lack of global geographical and social knowledge, exemplified by the common jest of many Americans that Africa is a single country rather than a continent.
Why Sustainable Tourism Matters
Despite the glory and shiny beautiful aspects that tourism brings to a country, one must not forget that darker aspects do come along with it such as negative effects on the environment and society at large. This is why sustainable tourism practices should be known and promoted by people working within the industry, and by tourists too.
The World Tourism Organisation defines sustainable tourism as 'tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impact, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities'. This approach minimises negative effects through measures like proper waste disposal and reduction, energy efficiency, and water conservation. It also fosters a respectful interaction with the host nation. Examples include EcoTourism, which focuses on nature-based experiences and environmental conservation, and Ethno Tourism, which explores rural lifestyles and local ethnic communities. While this form of travel can enrich a visitor's knowledge, if done carelessly, it can disrupt local lives or resources.
Egypt's Strategy in Action
The Egyptian Government is implementing a National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism 2030. The aim of the strategy is to increase tourism to 30 million people by 2028, and this agenda is part of the broader Egypt Vision for Sustainable Development 2030. Within this strategy, there are six axes.
The first is 'Institutional and Legislative Reform', which is about amending laws and legislative procedures related to the tourism and antiquities sector, like an increase to penalties for theft and smuggling antiquities under the Antiquities Protection Law. The second axis is 'Raising the Competitiveness of the Egyptian Tourist Destination', this aims to optimise the exploitation of tourism, natural, human and archaeological resources. Other elements include ensuring the provision and sustainability of advanced infrastructure and services to increase competitiveness and attract tourists, especially high-spending tourists. Further elements include encouraging domestic tourism with increased archaeological awareness and implementing projects that secure, restore and maintain antiquities. A third axis is 'Maintaining Environmental Balance and Sustaining Tourism and Archaeological Activity'. This includes supporting responsible and sustainable ecotourism aimed at preserving the environment for a green transformation, aligned with the ministry's sustainable development strategy and Egypt's Vision 2030. There is also a focus on transforming the Egyptian tourism sector into an environmentally friendly sector.
Recent developments on the ground are giving life to these strategies. In 2025, the government launched a $30 million makeover of the Giza Plateau home to Egypt's most famous pyramids. This includes walkways, signage, visitor centres, and dining areas designed to manage crowds and protect heritage while improving the overall experience. In parallel, inbound tourism to Egypt surged by 26% in early 2025 compared to last year, reflecting growing international interest. These are promising signs that the strategy is strongly in motion.
A BRICS+ Opportunity
But what makes this more exciting is Egypt's growing partnership with the BRICS bloc. As a new BRICS+ member, Egypt's tourism strategy is not just a national ambition but an opportunity for collaboration, investment, and knowledge-sharing within the BRICS community. Fellow BRICS countries, like China, Brazil, and South Africa, have deep expertise in eco-tourism, digital transformation, and heritage conservation. These are tools Egypt can draw from to help meet its goals more efficiently. BRICS, in turn, gains an increased African audience with iconic cultural capital, a geostrategic location, and a tourism sector on the rise.
Through collaborative tourism programs, green finance partnerships, and joint marketing strategies, Egypt and BRICS can build a more interconnected Global South tourism network. A focus on sustainable tourism doesn't just protect the past, it secures a future where cultural pride, environmental balance, and economic benefit can be shared across borders.
Written by:
*Dr Iqbal Survé
Past chairman of the BRICS Business Council and co-chairman of the BRICS Media Forum and the BRNN
*Banthati Sekwala
Associate at BRICS+ Consulting Group
Egyptian & South African Specialist
**The Views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Independent Media or IOL.
** MORE ARTICLES ON OUR WEBSITE https://bricscg.com/
** Follow @brics_daily on X/Twitter & @brics_daily on Instagram for daily BRICS+ updates
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