Egypt's tourism roars: 25% surge in Q1 2025, millions more expected
The minister affirmed that this growth reflects the increasing confidence in the Egyptian tourist destination despite the geopolitical challenges facing the region.
Tourism experts anticipate welcoming between 16-18 million tourists by the end of this year, particularly with the imminent opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum.
This increase is a continuation of the significant growth in inbound tourism to Egypt, which recorded a record high of 15.8 million tourists in 2024, a 6% annual increase compared to 2023. This figure surpassed pre-pandemic levels by over 21%, according to press statements by Tourism Minister Sharif Fathi.
The government expects the country to receive 17 million tourists during the current fiscal year 2024/2025, based on the 8.7 million tourists welcomed between July and December 2024. It aims to reach 30 million tourists by increasing hotel capacity to accommodate the anticipated tourist numbers in the coming period. This goal is supported by incentives and financing initiatives recently introduced by the state to encourage tourism investment, according to official data.
Ahmed El-Tayebi, Deputy Chairman of the Tourism and Civil Aviation Committee in the House of Representatives, stated that the tourism sector achieved a record number of tourists in the first quarter of 2025 with a record annual growth rate, despite this period not representing a large proportion of total inbound tourism. He added that if the current rates continue, they expect to reach between 17-18 million tourists by the end of this year.
The Egyptian economy achieved a growth rate of 4.3% during the second quarter of the current fiscal year 2024/2025, driven by a robust 18% expansion in the tourism sector, specifically restaurants and hotels. This growth outperformed the non-oil manufacturing sector, which recorded 17.7%, and the communications and information technology sector, which achieved 10.4%.
In exclusive statements to CNN Arabic, El-Tayebi noted that Egypt has welcomed tourists from numerous Western European countries, including Germany, England, France, and Spain. From Eastern Europe, significant numbers of tourists have arrived from Russia, Poland, and Romania.
He anticipates that inbound tourism to the country will exceed last year's figures by 10-15%, highlighting that Red Sea destinations such as Makadi, Sahl Hasheesh, Safaga, and Marsa Alam attract the largest share of tourists, along with Cairo and its numerous archaeological sites.
He pointed to several reasons for the increase in tourist arrivals to Egypt, most notably the development of infrastructure, including new roads, axes, and an electric transportation network, which has facilitated easier travel between various tourist destinations, thereby increasing the number of tourist nights.
Additionally, plans to increase hotel capacity by adding 40,000-50,000 rooms this year, representing a 20% annual increase, as well as marketing strategies for Egyptian tourist destinations, are contributing to reaching the target of 30 million tourists by 2030.
More than 15 million tourists spent 156.6 million nights in Egypt during 2024, and this figure is projected to continue rising to 182.6 million nights by 2028, according to a report by Fitch Solutions.
El-Tayebi highlighted the significant role of the Grand Egyptian Museum's opening on July 3rd in marketing and promoting Egyptian tourism internationally.
He noted the state's commitment to a global inauguration ceremony with the participation of presidents and princes from numerous countries worldwide. This event is expected to significantly spotlight the museum, alongside the notable development in the air transport sector through the opening of airports and the improvement of the road and transportation network.
Magdy Sadek, a member of the Travel Agencies Chamber at the Egyptian Tourism Federation, stated that European tourism accounted for the largest share of inbound tourism to Egypt during the first quarter of 2025, led by German, Italian, Spanish, and French nationalities. Egypt also welcomed tourists from Gulf countries, most notably Saudi Arabia.
In exclusive statements to CNN Arabic, Magdy Sadek anticipated that Egypt would receive 16 million tourists during the current year, relying on the increase in the country's hotel capacity to exceed 220,000 rooms.
He also mentioned the implementation of new regulations and requirements for licensing vacation apartment units, which could potentially raise the country's hotel capacity to around half a million rooms. The opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum is also expected to play a crucial role in showcasing Egyptian civilization, making it the primary destination for those seeking to explore its secrets.
Last month, the Egyptian government, for the first time, established new regulations and requirements for licensing vacation apartment units to introduce a new type of accommodation for tourists.
Vacation apartment units are defined as 'any unit consisting of at least one room, a suite, or a villa located in a standalone building or part of a building, providing some basic services, and prepared to receive Egyptians or foreigners, provided that it is located in a tourist area or within a distinguished residential complex.'
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