Latest news with #MinistryofTourismandAntiquities
Al-Ahram Weekly
4 days ago
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt begins language exams for tour guides to expand linguistic accreditations - Tourism
Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has launched a new round of language exams for licensed tour guides, allowing them to add one or more foreign languages—including rare ones—to their professional licenses. The move aims to improve multilingual tourism services, diversify visitor markets, and reduce reliance on translation permits granted to foreign interpreters. As of 2025, Egypt has around 14,000 licensed tour guides, according to an official from the Egyptian General Tourist Guide Syndicate. The ministry announced Monday that licensed guides can now apply for the language addition tests via the Central Administration of Corporate Services Portal, with applications open through 31 July 2025. Exams will be held at the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels at Helwan University, where candidates will be evaluated by university professors and representatives from foreign embassies to ensure language proficiency before accreditations are granted. According to the ministry, 225 applications were received for this round, and 58 candidates passed. Successful guides were certified in a range of languages, including Portuguese, Turkish, Japanese, Czech, Indonesian, Korean, Greek, Romanian, and Hungarian—languages still underrepresented in Egypt's tourism workforce. The ministry is also running intensive training programmes for aspiring tour guides with relevant academic backgrounds. More than 300 individuals received training in the first half of 2025 alone. The initiative is part of Egypt's broader strategy to grow its tourism sector and expand its capacity to serve an increasingly diverse global audience. The government aims to attract 30 million visitors annually by 2028 under a comprehensive national tourism strategy. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
5 days ago
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt's tourism industry surges 22% in June compared to same period last year: Ministry - Tourism
Egypt's tourism sector recorded a remarkable 22 percent growth in June 2025 compared to the same month last year, despite ongoing challenges, according to a statement by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on Sunday. In 2024, Egypt achieved a new record in the number of tourist arrivals, reaching 15.8 million, a six-percent increase year-on-year. This growth continued in the first quarter of 2025. From January to May 2025, inbound tourism rose by 26 percent, up from 4–6 percent in the same period last year, and tourist spending increased noticeably. This upward trajectory has been supported by recent developments in Egypt's international standing and strategic planning to boost the sector's long-term performance. On Saturday, recent upgrades in travel advisories for Egypt by the United States and the United Kingdom were announced, with Egypt now listed under the US State Department's Level Two: Exercise Increased Caution category, placing it alongside countries like France and Germany. The UK's updated guidance also acknowledges that nearly one million British nationals visit Egypt each year, reflecting improved safety and security conditions in the country. The updated travel advisories are anticipated to drive higher tourist arrivals and contribute positively to Egypt's economic growth. By enhancing its reputation as a premier destination for cultural and heritage tourism, Egypt aims to solidify its global standing. Recognising tourism as a vital source of foreign currency, the government has introduced a comprehensive national strategy to welcome 30 million visitors annually by 2028. In addition, as part of efforts to meet the growing global demand of nature and adventure travellers, on Wednesday, the Ministry of Tourism also expanded safari tourism programmes, attracting 20,000 visitors in the first half of 2025. On 17 June, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly oversaw the signing of a $265 million memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at expanding Egypt's tourism sector through the development of new hotel rooms and branded residential units in key tourist destinations. The agreement is part of the country's broader strategy to upgrade tourism infrastructure and increase visitor numbers. In December 2023, the Egyptian government launched an EGP 50 billion incentive programme to stimulate investment in hotel capacity expansion. The initiative focuses on encouraging companies to develop new rooms at top tourist hubs, including Greater Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, the Red Sea, South Sinai, and the North Coast. Experts estimate that every 15,000 new rooms could generate up to approximately EGP 1 to 2 billion in VAT and an additional EGP 2 billion in commercial and industrial taxes. To support its tourism growth targets, the country plans to add 18,000 rooms by the end of 2025 and expand its current capacity of approximately 230,000 rooms by over 200,000 additional units within the next two to three years, enhancing both availability and visitor experience. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Jordan News
5 days ago
- Jordan News
1.8 Million Arab Tourists Visited Jordan in the First Half of 2025 - Jordan News
A total of 1.8 million Arab tourists visited Jordan during the first half of 2025, out of 3.2 million total arrivals to the Kingdom, according to figures released by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. اضافة اعلان This means that Arab tourists accounted for 54.6% of all visitors during that period. In June 2025 alone, the Kingdom welcomed around 595,000 international visitors, an 8% increase compared to June 2024, which recorded approximately 551,000 visitors. Overall, during the first half of 2025, Jordan received 3.292 million international visitors, marking an 18% rise from the same period in 2024, when 2.786 million visitors were recorded. Jordanian expatriates made up 23.4% of the total international visitors, with more than 772,600 Jordanian expats returning to the Kingdom in the first six months of the year. Visitors from European countries represented 13.7% of total arrivals, exceeding 452,600 European tourists during the same period. Asian tourists accounted for 4% of total visitors, with over 133,300 arrivals from Asian countries in the first half of the year. Meanwhile, visitors from the Americas constituted 3%, with more than 100,300 tourists entering Jordan from North and South America. Finally, tourists from African nations made up around 1% of total international visitors, with over 32,700 African visitors recorded in the first half of 2025.
Egypt Independent
5 days ago
- Egypt Independent
Photos: Egypt upgrades interior lighting system of the Giza Pyramids
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, represented by the Supreme Council of Antiquities, has worked in cooperation with the Spanish government to complete a project to upgrade the interior lighting system of the three Giza pyramids (Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure). The project uses state-of-the-art environmentally friendly LED lighting technologies to highlight the wondrous interior of the pyramids. – Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy explained that this project is part of the ministry's efforts to improve the quality of services provided at archaeological sites and museums, in order to make its tourist sites more attractive to global visitors. He emphasized the ministry's commitment to protecting and preserving Egypt's cultural heritage in line with international standards. The Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, explained that the new lighting system relies on lighting units that will not damage the ancient interiors and thereby ensure the preservation of these unique monuments. The project was implemented in cooperation with a team of specialized archaeologists and engineers from Spain, after completing all the necessary studies. Khaled also emphasized that this modern system not only contributes to preserving the monument, but also enhances their sustainability and provides a unique visual experience for visitors inside the pyramids. The Director General of Giza Antiquities Area, Ashraf Mohieddin said that the lighting project included all the internal passages of the three pyramids, in addition to the burial chambers, adding even more excitement to the visitor experience while fully preserving the archaeological character of the site.
Daily News Egypt
6 days ago
- Daily News Egypt
Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system
Egypt has completed an upgrade of the interior lighting systems of the three Giza Pyramids, installing modern, eco-friendly LED technology in cooperation with the Spanish government, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a statement. The project, carried out by the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), aims to highlight the design of the interiors of the Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure pyramids. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, said the project is part of the ministry's ongoing efforts to improve services at archaeological sites and museums. The goal is to enhance the visitor experience and the appeal of Egypt as a destination, particularly for cultural tourism, while adhering to international standards for heritage preservation. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the SCA, explained that the new system uses 'cool' lighting units that are completely safe for the original archaeological components used in the pyramids' construction. He noted that the project was carried out in cooperation with a team of specialist archaeologists and engineers from Spain, following the completion of all necessary scientific and technical studies. 'This modern system not only helps in preserving the monument, but also enhances the concepts of sustainability and provides a unique visual experience for visitors inside the pyramids, highlighting the beauty and precision of ancient Egyptian architecture,' Khaled said. Ashraf Mohieldin, Director-General of Giza Antiquities, said the lighting project covered all the internal corridors of the three pyramids, in addition to the burial chambers and other interior spaces, adding more to the visitor experience while fully preserving the archaeological character of the site.
