Insane surge of Aussies visiting this location

News.com.au

6 days ago

Australian travellers are embracing Egypt more than ever with the African destination still on everyone's bucket list.
While the overall travel advisory from Smarttraveller for Egypt from Australia advises 'exercising a high degree of caution' due to the threat of terrorism, it is still considered safe to travel to many parts of Egypt, particularly tourist areas.
According to Intrepid Travel, the destination has seen a 170 per cent increase in new bookings as Aussies chase the warmth this winter.
'We've seen a real shift in the way Aussies are choosing where to travel this winter,'
Brett Mitchell, Intrepid Travel ANZ managing director told news.com.au.
'Travellers are looking to avoid crowds and overdone itineraries, and the numbers back that up.'
He said a recent survey conducted by the Melbourne-born global travel company revealed more than 70 per cent of Aussies said they'd felt overwhelmed by the number of tourists while travelling, and 74 per cent said overtourism has made them rethink certain destinations.
'As a result, 76 per cent are now finding lesser-known destinations appealing,' Mr Mitchell said.
Traditionally, Aussies would escape to Europe in search of warmer weather, but for the first time ever, more Aussies are choosing to travel to Europe during the shoulder season months (April, May, September) to avoid the crowds and heat.
'Even those still heading to Europe in summer are now seeking out alternative destinations – typically cooler, less crowded spots,' Mr Mitchell said.
'We've seen bookings to Iceland rise by 22 per cent and Norway by 30 per cent, highlighting the growing appetite for lesser-known destinations with fewer crowds.'
He said bookings for Egypt are also up year-on-year, with travellers drawn to its rich history, culture and warm-weather appeal.
'Major investment in tourism infrastructure by the government as part of its goal of attracting 30 million annual tourists by 2028 has made it more accessible to travellers,' he said.
'New hotel developments, streamlined visa processes and improvements to transport are all helping travellers move more confidently through the country and encouraging more Aussies to visit.'
Angus Kidman, travel expert at Finder, said the rise of Aussies visiting Egypt comes as no surprise.
'Pyramids have a pointed appeal, so it's no surprise that Egypt is on a lot of bucket lists,' he told news.com.au.
'With some folks put off by the current US travel crackdown, stricter rules in Bali and no more Jetstar flights to Hawaii, other destinations become more appealing.
'Egypt is also an easy attachment to a European trip.'
He warned to ensure you're insured as soon as you book.
'Egypt isn't far from Middle Eastern trouble spots, so issues can arise that disrupt your booking,' he said.
'Travel insurance doesn't have to be expensive – shop around and compare rather than just taking the option offered by your tour operator or airline.'
Sydneysider Tsoline Santi just returned from a 10-day trip to Egypt with her husband.
She said not only did she feel safe but it was also great not having to dodge tourists constantly.
'I knew Egypt was a country rich in culture and history but I didn't know the extent of it and how beautiful it was,' the 33-year-old told news.com.au.
Ms Santi visited Cairo, Aswan, Luxor and Hurghada as part of a Top Deck tour Delve Deep, adding the experience felt 'surreal'.
'Being able to see all the sites we've heard about our whole lives in movies and stories with our own eyes – it felt very surreal – especially the Pyramids and being able to go inside them,' she said.
'Our tour guide was great – he explained everything in detail about where we were going and if there was anything we should be mindful about, especially cultural differences,' she said.
'That definitely put us to ease. I probably wouldn't have felt as safe travelling without a tour group or guide, particularly because of all the police check points in between each city and having the relevant documentation to go through.'
According to the TopDeck site, all their Egyptian Topdeck trip leaders are qualified Egyptologists.
'Meaning? You're gonna [sic] have more fact-filled days than you can poke a mummified finger at.'
The Australian government's Smartraveller website has a 'do not travel' warning within 40km of Egypt's border with Libya due to the high threat of terrorist attacks, including the Taba-Suez Road.
This is not near the hotspots mostly visited by tourists.
Bunnik Tours, small group tours designed for Aussie travellers, has also seen a 112 per cent increase in passenger numbers to Egypt in the second half of this year compared to the same period in 2024.
The Adelaide-based company said this has prompted a 24 per cent increase in the number of 2026 departures for their most comprehensive itinerary – the 25-day Egypt & Jordan Discovery small group tour.
They currently offer seven small group tours to Egypt, with maximum group sizes of 20 people.
Ms Santi, who also visited Greece and Italy, said it was refreshing to be in a country that wasn't so packed.
'Egypt was much less crowded which made it a lot more enjoyable to view all the sites,' she said.
A recent survey by Global Rescue found that 73 per cent of travellers are worried about overtourism, and more than half are actively avoiding popular destinations like France, Spain, Italy, and Thailand.
Anti-tourism protests have also been held across cities in Spain, Italy and Portugal as some locals feel foreigners are turning their cities into playgrounds while they are left behind with a housing crisis, rising rents and environmental impacts.
It comes as popular destinations across the world have been desperately trying to find new ways to cope with a massive boom in tourism post-Covid and avoid the trend dubbed 'overtourism'.
What other destinations are on the rise
Meanwhile, Intrepid has identified other destinations outside of Europe on the rise such as Peru and Ecuador which have seen bookings from Aussie travellers up 83 per cent and 135 per cent year-on-year, respectively.
'Travellers tend to be drawn to South America's unique range of experiences and landscapes, many of which are brought together on our 25-day Ecuador, Galápagos & Peru Explorer, encouraging travellers to slowly explore these wildly different parts of the region,' Mr Mitchell told news.com.au.
'These destinations are still relatively affordable, less saturated with tourists, and include experiences that give people a real sense of connection to culture.'