egypt tourism development authority

The Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA) was established in 1981—by Presidential Decree No. 134—as a regulatory body affiliated with the Ministry of Tourism. ETA’s mission is to boost international tourism by promoting Egypt’s rich history and civilization and highlighting the country’s abundance of diverse tourist attractions. Part of ETA’s mandate is to also address any obstacles that may stand in the way of growth in Egypt’s tourism sector. It also aims to promote domestic tourism, raise tourism awareness throughout the country, and strengthen the connection between Egyptians and their heritage.

ETA works to achieve its objectives by:

• • Highlighting the diversity and variety of Egypt’s tourist attractions and destinations
• • Developing marketing strategies and programs to promote international and domestic tourism
• • Providing technical and marketing support in coordination with relevant entities for the promotion of tourism

ETA also organizes and sponsors tourism, sports, social, cultural, entertainment, and educational events held at tourist attractions, archaeological sites, and museums across Egypt. These activities shed light on Egypt’s diversity of experiences and highlight the country’s competitive edge as a destination for international travelers.

The ETA Board of Directors is chaired by the Minister of Tourism. Its members include the ETA’s CEO and representatives from relevant entities, such as the Chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Federation (ETF), the Egyptian Travel Agents Association, and the Egyptian Hotel Association; the Chairman of the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority; the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities; the Director General of the Grand Egyptian Museum; and four additional tourism sector experts. The ETA Board of Directors is responsible for setting ETA’s general policies and making the necessary decisions to help achieve its goals and objectives.

State Information Service Your Gateway to Egypt

If indefinite articles are the proverbial thorn in your side, the good news is that you don't need a.

If indefinite articles are the proverbial thorn in your side, the good news is that you don't need a lot of grammatical jargon to understand their usage. You simply need your ears (okay, and maybe just a little grammatical jargon). In English, a and

• Français
• Español

National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism 2030

The strategy aims to increase tourism traffic to 30 million tourists by 2028, by working to achieve incoming tourist traffic rates to the Egyptian tourist destination by about 25% and 30% annually, within the framework of Egypt's vision for sustainable development 2030.

The strategy is based on 6 axes:

The first axis: institutional and legislative reform:

In this aspect, a number of laws and legislative procedures related to the tourism and antiquities sector have already been completed and amended, including the amendment of the Antiquities Protection Law to increase the penalty for theft and smuggling of antiquities, and the fight against stowaways, climbing antiquities, and others, in addition to issuing laws establishing two economic bodies, namely the Grand Egyptian Museum Authority in 2020, and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization Authority in 2021, in addition to the House of Representatives' approval of the Tourism and Antiquities Support Fund Law to maximize the Fund's income, and the Hotel and Tourism Establishments Law to facilitate the Investors to terminate licenses, which have not been amended since the seventies of the last century, and the laws regulating Hajj and Umrah and the establishment of two gates with two laws for Umrah and Hajj .

The second axis: raising the competitiveness of the Egyptian tourist destination:  

In this axis, work is  done to optimize the exploitation of the state's tourism, natural, human and archaeological resources and work to ensure their sustainability, and provide a distinguished and advanced infrastructure and service to increase the competitiveness of Egypt, by encouraging investment opportunities, raising the efficiency of the human element and using modern technology methods, through institutional and legislative frameworks to keep pace with global development, with the application of the best ways to promote and activate tourism locally and internationally to attract the largest number of tourists from various markets and all categories, especially those with high spending,  Encouraging domestic tourism, increasing tourism and archaeological awareness, carrying out archaeological excavations, implementing projects to secure, restore and maintain antiquities, building and developing museums throughout the Republic.

The third axis: economic objectives related to (increasing the number of tourists - increasing the number of tourist nights - tourism spending rates - and targeting segments with higher spending of tourists):

The strategy aims to show the Egyptian tourist destination as a vibrant young destination, in addition to shedding light on the tourist elements of the Egyptian tourist destination and its various patterns and products, in addition to launching a number of electronic promotional campaigns on various social media platforms in a number of major tourist markets exporting tourism to Egypt, and organizing major celebrations of historical events and others such as the procession of royal mummies and Luxor Rams Road and their great impact in promoting Egyptian tourism and creating more The passion of the peoples of the world to visit Egypt and see the ancient Egyptian antiquities, in addition to that it contributed to raising the tourist and archaeological awareness among the masses of the Egyptian people, and many bloggers and influencers on social networking sites from different countries of the world who enjoy a high follow-up rate were hosted to visit and promote the Egyptian tourist destination, in addition to organizing visits to a number of ambassadors of the countries of the world to attend a number of events organized by the ministry, who also contributed to promoting the Egyptian destination, where ambassadors The European Union countries in Cairo published more than 20 short films to promote Egyptian tourist and archaeological sites on their social networking sites and their embassies.

Fourth Theme: Enhancing Social Participation and Raising the Efficiency of Human Resources:

In this aspect, work has been done to provide an accurate database on employment in the tourism sector, in addition to the inventory of official establishments operating in the sector and the data of official workers, improving the process of harmonizing supply and demand for labor, providing the required labor for the owners of tourist establishments, reducing unemployment rates in the tourism sector, and raising the competitiveness of the tourism labor market in Egypt, in order to facilitate work in this sector, attract foreign investments, and provide information to investors.

Fifth Theme: Working to maximize the use of technological means.

Sixth Theme: Maintaining the environmental balance and sustaining tourism and archaeological activity:

It is concerned with maintaining the environmental balance and the sustainability of tourism and archaeological activity, and the state has made efforts in this aspect to transform the Egyptian tourism sector into an environmentally friendly sector, which comes in line with the objectives of the ministry's sustainable development strategy and Egypt's vision 2030 to maintain the environmental balance and the sustainability of tourism and archaeological activity, stressing that these efforts do not coincide only with the special preparations for Egypt's hosting of the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (COP27).But to transform the tourism sector into a sector that applies all the requirements of environmentally friendly green practices in accordance with the concept of sustainable tourism, pointing to the  ECO Egypt campaign, which was launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment to promote ecotourism locally and internationally, pointing to the ministry's keenness to support responsible and sustainable ecotourism, which aims to preserve the environment for green transformation.

Listen to the word paragraph

Share on social media

_ most visited.

Landmines in Egypt

List of government, foreign universities and institutes accredited in Egypt

Egypt National Climate Change Strategy (NCCS) 2050

Financial Regulatory Authority

• Saturday, 08 June 2024

Egypt's cabinet reviews TDA's tourism plan as part of Egypt Vision 2030

Ahram online , saturday 16 nov 2019.

The TDA's plan, which is part of Egypt's Sustainable Development Strategy: 2030 Vision, aims to optimize use of Egypt's economic and social resources, Al-Mashat said

Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly issued directives to tourism officials to expedite the completion of the plan of the Tourism Development Authority (TDA) to develop the tourism sector in order for the Supreme Council for Planning and Urban Development (SCPUD)  to review it at its upcoming meeting.

The prime minister's directives came during a meeting held on Friday to review the TDA's plan, which was chaired by Madbouly in the presence of Minister of Tourism Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities Assem El-Gazzar, and the Head of the TDA Serag El-Din Saad.

The TDA's plan, which is part of Egypt's Sustainable Development Strategy: 2030 Vision, aims to optimize use of Egypt's economic and social resources, Al-Mashat said.

Al-Mashat added that the plan also aims to maximize the role of Egypt's private sector in the development process, confining the state's role in the process to planning for developing desert regions and promoting investment in tourism. 

Since 2018, Egypt has been implementing a reform programme in the tourism sector, which focuses on developing the sector's infrastructure and raising labour efficiency through technical and professional training.

The reform programme has reflected positively on increasing hard currency revenues to the national economy. 

Egypt reported that revenues from tourism in the fiscal year 2018/19 reached $12.6 billion, a 28 percent rise on the previous year.

Tourism in Egypt

Rania al-mashat, recovering tourism, latest news, most viewed, also in politics.

• Appointments and Events
• Reports and Analysis
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Middle East
• Sign in / Join

Sami Mahmoud Managing Director of the Egyptian Tourism Development Authority: Egypt will be back on the track in 2017

Medical tourism is exceeding $100b revenues around the world

We are trying our best to correct Egypt’s public image to the world… We have an extended solution plan 

We are developing more than 34 markets in which we used to depend only on 7 markets in China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia & South Korea

By Alaa Abdelwanis

Photo credit: Mohram Fouad

Clearing Threats

The Ministry of Tourism launched an advertising campaign covering more than 14 markets with these detriments in streets and main squares, Mahmoud said. We have also signed an agreement with an international advertising company for 3 years, starting from September 2015 till September 2018, with a budget estimated at $68m. He added, we have also signed an agreement with one of international public relations companies to work on bettering our public image around the world. Egypt’s public image has been defaced over the last period. As a consequence, tourism movement was influenced negatively in Egypt. Everyone knows that it is not easy to regain a good public image in one day. It is the public relation company’s duty to work on presenting a good public image to exclude the negative one. He said that the Ministry of Tourism has signed an agreement with one of crisis management companies to communicate with international media because it is very important. Most of us know that some of the international media is against Egypt and spread much fake and irrational news about Egypt.

Ministry of Tourism plan 

The Minister of Tourism has 6 main targets which will be worked on in the next 6 months. These targets are very important to achieve in order to develop Tourism sector. The Tourism sector was operating in a traditional way. The main purpose is to develop the infrastructure and investment in the sector. In addition, an online website is to be developed as the world is turning its business into online websites; online market percentage exceeds 50 per cent. Clean energy and green energy usage is part of the ministry’s plan to develop tourism sector. However, this plan needs some time to result fruitfully. The plan’s implementation has already begun in form of marketing and publicizing activities. The ministry’s online website will be ready to launch in 2 or 3 months. The Ministry of Tourism has a plan for green tourism as well. We hope that 2017 will get Egypt on the track once more.

Expected Revenues of Egyptian Tourism this year

Egyptian tourism did not achieve much this year and it is expected to have 7 million tourists at the end of this year. As for the next year, 10 million tourists are expected to visit Egypt which will result in revenue of $10b to $12b.

New projects of the Egyptian Tourism Development Authority

The authority is focusing on the Arab market, especially gulf markets. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Lebanon and Morocco markets are on the top of crucial markets.

The Ministry of Tourism has started opening variant markets after having just 7 markets resulting in 75 per cent revenues of the total tourism income; these markets were in Russia, France, Germany, Italy and England. We have opened 34 markets and we are giving much attention to China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia and South Korea.

Leaving a good impression on tourists

Egypt has a good infrastructure for tourism; we have 220 thousand rooms and around 200 thousand rooms under construction in which 70 per cent of them are located on the red sea coasts in Hurghada and Sharm El-Shekh. Egypt has great potentials for tourism due to its beaches, monuments and hotels, in addition to diving centres, different amusement centres and conference halls spread around Hurghada and Sharm El-Shekh. These conference halls have the capacity of hosting medium-sized conferences, especially in Luxor, Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh.

An online website for tourism in Egypt

Arab tourism is mostly online. We are working on a very special online website for the Egyptian tourism which is supposed to be a complete booking system as it will include tourist programmes and hotel booking. Egypt will launch its high quality online website in 2 months; it will enable tourists to go on with booking procedures either Arab or Foreign tourists.

Investing medical tourism in Egypt

Egypt has many excellent sites for medical and recreation tourism, in addition to natural resources to cure some diseases such as: Psoriasis curing in Safaga, sand baths in Aswan or Siwa and some sulfur springs in Oyun Mosa. These sites should be made use of to develop the Egyptian tourism sector. This could be achieved through two main factors, firstly, developing the infrastructure of these sites. Secondly, publicizing these sites and organising tourist programmes by tourism companies. Egypt, 25 years ago, used to have many potentials resources but unfortunately the system that used to be in charge wasted these resources. Countries such as India, Jordan, Tunisia and Morocco have developed their tourist resources which made them take Egypt’s place. We hope that the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Health would cooperate again to offer systematic professional medical tourism. Arab countries spend around $23b on medical tourism. Medical tourism is worth over $100b around the world. This is a golden opportunity for the Egyptian tourism if the needed infrastructure was provided such as hospitals, medical and nursing services with excellent quality. If Egypt succeeds at establishing such a good tourism system, medical tourism will be a hopeful sign for Egypt. For instance, UAE has revenue of $2b out of medical tourism and is planning to have $6b revenue. Thus, Egypt is as well capable of achieving the same.

 Mahmoud added, tourists should not give attention to what is said about Egypt in the media. Egypt is safe and stable. It has a very good tourism infrastructure, in addition to 5 different civilizations in which the most ancient is Pharaonic civilization that exists only in Egypt. Egypt welcomes all tourists; the Egyptian people are generous and would welcome all tourists, especially Arabs.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

The foremost challenges of the pharmaceutical sector in Egypt

Examining the Egyptian cultural scene with Dr. Hisham Azmi

Libraries and scientific research are a core element in developing Education in Egypt

Discover Egypt’s gems while “You Walk like an Egyptian”

The Many Aspects of Coaching

Africa’s first sustainable smart city set to open in June

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Latest article

MOPCO, a potent fertilizer company, embodies sustainable growth and a promising future

Al Molla inspects the Suez Methanol Derivatives Plant in Damietta

Petroleum Marine Services Company (PMS) Profits increase 28% in 2023

IFC invested $ 1.3bn in the Middle East and North Africa

Egypt to receive first shipment from Iraqi oil deal in March:...

11/04/2017 Tenders

Discover All News

• Historical Periods
• Places & Collections
• What's On
• Stories & Media

Children’s World

• World Heritage
• Explore Egypt's Map
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions
• Related links
• Predynastic Period
• Early Dynastic Period
• Old Kingdom
• First Intermediate Period
• Archaeological Sites
• Collections

Sunken Monuments

• Stories Hub
• Child Media Hub
• Child Story Hub
• The Coloring Game
• Pharaoh's Quiz

Discover Egypt's Monuments

Start your journey.

Explore Museums

Our Museums

Explore Sites & Monuments

Discover Sunken Monuments

Find out all events

Discover All Activities

Play & Learn

Play, have fun and discover all about our heritage, Ancient Egypt and our great pharaohs

Licence or Product Purchase Required

You have reached the limit of premium articles you can view for free. 

Already have an account? Login here

Get expert, on-the-ground insights into the latest business and economic trends in more than 30 high-growth global markets. Produced by a dedicated team of in-country analysts, our research provides the in-depth business intelligence you need to evaluate, enter and excel in these exciting markets.

View licence options

Suitable for

• Executives and entrepreneurs
• Bankers and hedge fund managers
• Journalists and communications professionals
• Consultants and advisors of all kinds
• Academics and students
• Government and policy-research delegations
• Diplomats and expatriates

This article also features in The Report: Egypt 2020 . Read more about this report and view purchase options in our online store.

What reforms are supporting Egypt's tourism industry?

Egypt | Tourism

After years of recovery following the decrease in tourism that resulted from the 2011 revolution, Egypt is once again attracting international visitors, with annual growth for 2020 projected in double figures. Although the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic significantly impacted the global tourism industry throughout the first half of 2020, it is expected that the growth seen in Egypt’s tourism segment in recent years will likely resume in 2021.

Structure & Oversight

In 2019 the structure of Egypt’s tourism sector changed significantly when the Ministry of Tourism merged with the Ministry of Antiquities to become the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA). Khaled El Enany, who was at the time the minister of antiquities, was named minister of tourism and antiquities. Merging the two ministries was a move to further develop Egypt’s antiquities tourism, with the aim of shifting the country’s multifaceted travel industry away from the more traditional sun-and-sand offerings.

In November 2018 the MoTA launched the Tourism Reform Programme – known as E-TRP – which outlined a new tourism strategy. The programme covers a number of objectives, including hiring at least one member of every household directly or indirectly in the sector, and driving sustainable tourism forward. The reform presents a wide-reaching strategy with five pillars: institutional reform; legislative reform; promotion and marketing; infrastructure and tourism development; and global tourism trends. The programme aims to revise and improve the legal framework governing the industry, which has been in place since 1970. Administrative restructuring will improve bureaucracy in the system through modernisation and digitisation, supported by capacity building, which aims to enhance the skills of all those working within the sector. This includes greater access to vocational training and improving the English-language skills of those employed in hospitality.

Performance & Size

According to The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Egypt’s tourism industry has demonstrated rapid growth since the decline that followed the 2011 revolution. In 2019 travel and tourism contributed LE496.4bn ($30.6bn) to Egypt’s GDP, around 9.3% of the total, representing a 0.2% increase on the previous year.

In 2019 the tourism industry indirectly employed almost 2.5m people – representing 9.7% of total employment in the country, with the WTTC estimating that this figure would reach approximately 3.2m by 2029. Growth, however, will likely be somewhat more subdued than anticipated as a result of the Covid-19 virus and its effects on the sector.

Airports & Flight Routes

Since 2018 Egypt’s government has invested heavily in new international airports as part of its plan to reinvigorate tourism. In July 2019 construction began on Capital International Airport, 70 km east of Cairo, which will serve the new capital city starting in late 2020 or early 2021. This comes as part of ongoing infrastructure development efforts to alleviate pressure on Cairo International Airport. Further investment in the Sphinx International Airport – located close to the Great Pyramids, west of Cairo – will also commence new flight routes and support greater air traffic for those visiting the current capital.

In February 2020 EgyptAir announced the return of a connecting flight between Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada – resort cities – and Luxor, which is said to hold around one-third of the world’s antiquities. The new flight, set to run once per week, would link those leisure resorts with archaeological sites.

More flight routes are set to open as a result of the MoTA incentives programme, which was introduced as part of E-TRP. Working closely with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the MoTA programme – which runs between 2018 and 2020 – provides incentives based on different criteria. A number of requirements include non-discrimination between charter and regular aviation, and the distinction of governorates or destinations that receive high numbers of incoming tourists.

According to the MoTA, in October 2019 the programme resulted in around 22,300 flights, transporting some 3.6m tourists during the first 10 months of that year. A new aviation incentive unit, established by the MoTA to manage a digital database, will use results from this programme to inform future incentive strategies.

Source Markets

Most tourists travel to Egypt for leisure purposes – accounting for around 86% of total visitor spending – while business travel makes up the remaining 14%. According to the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), in 2019 visitor numbers increased by 21% to 12.6m arrivals. This figure had been expected to reach approximately 15m in 2020, rising to heights last seen in 2010; however, global travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic are likely to affect this figure. Although the long-term effects of the virus on the sector remain unclear, it is expected that tourism will resume growth in 2021. According to the WTTC, in 2019 international visitor spending accounted for 59% of total tourist spending, with the domestic market contributing the remaining 45%.

According to the most recent “Egypt Tourism and Hospitality Market” report from Colliers, as of 2018 tourism to Cairo was driven largely by business travellers from within the region. Corporate visitors accounted for around 67% of hotel occupancy, followed by meetings, incentives, conventions and events (MICE) activities (20%) and leisure visitors (13%). Leisure travellers tend to stay closer to the pyramids, booking short stays in the capital on their way to other destinations within the country.

Security & Health

Following the dip in tourism after the 2011-13 political transition, Egypt experienced a drop off in tourist activity. Despite relative political stability, a somewhat negative international public perception of security kept tourists away. The bombing of two tourist buses – one in December 2018, which killed two people, the other in May 2019, injuring 16 – damaged Egypt’s public image. In addition, travel warnings regarding access to specific regions made many tourists uncertain of which areas were safe to visit. However, significant government efforts to improve security and the public perception of Egypt as safe to visit have resulted in tourism numbers gradually increasing, returning to levels last seen prior to 2011.

To enter any of Cairo’s famous museums or to gain access to the pyramids, visitors must currently undergo an identification check and metal detector scan. Similar schemes have been established following terror attacks in major European cities, such as bag checks in museums in both London and Paris. Additionally, the police are more strictly enforcing an existing rule that requires tour operators to maintain and submit their tour group itineraries.

Officials are also looking to address health concerns in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. In mid-June 2020 hotels were mandated to adhere to guidelines established by the Chamber of Hotel Establishments, including operating at 25% capacity and other preventative measures. Hotels must also follow government regulations, as well as guidelines from the World Health Organisation.

Arrival Markets

Tourism to Egypt is led by Germany, which made up 15% of total visitors in 2019, followed by Saudi Arabia with 8%, and Sudan, the UK and Libya, each with 4%. According to data published ahead of the 2019 Arabian Travel Market (ATM), an annual travel and tourism exhibition held in Dubai, the number of European tourists to Egypt is forecast to rise from 6.2m in 2018 to around 9.1m in 2022. Tourism from Russia and the UK experienced a dip following an attack on a Russian plane in October 2015. The incident resulted in a two-year travel ban from both countries; however, direct routes to Sharm El Sheikh were reopened in 2019 following Egyptian investment of nearly £20m to improve security, and tourism levels have returned to normal.

New airport safety measures include the construction of a six-metre-high wall separating Sharm El Sheikh from the rest of the Sinai Peninsula. To encourage visitors to return to the region, the government has introduced a number of additional security measures at the airport. The first passport check occurs at the motorway exit to the airport, while inside the airport, there are new swab tests, as well as photograph and fingerprint processes.

Efforts to improve security have been made in other airports. Egypt invested LE60m ($3.7m) in a new security scanning system at Marsa Alam International Airport, which includes computed tomography – or CT – scans, set to be completed by the end of 2020. A similar device was installed in Terminal 2 of the Hurghada International Airport in 2018.

Travel from the Middle East rose substantially between 2015 and 2020, with Saudi Arabia accounting for 6% of all visitor arrivals in 2018 and 8% in 2019. Tourist arrivals from the Middle East are expected to grow from 1.5m in 2018 to 2.2m in 2022 – an increase of around 50%. The MoTA has increasingly focused new promotion strategies on emerging tourist markets in recent years. Subsequently, a video from Egypt’s People To People campaign was awarded the best promotional film award in the Middle East by the UNWTO in September 2019.

A number of sector representatives, including the Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA) and the Egyptian Hotel Association, were scheduled to attend the ATM in April 2020, but the event was moved to 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Egypt’s attendance is intended to further promote the sector within the Middle East and on the international stage.

In addition to marketing campaigns targeted at the Middle East, the MoTA is also focusing promotional activity towards Eastern Europe and new markets in Central and South Asia. Following the temporary decline in tourism from the UK and Russia, the MoTA turned its attention to alternative markets. Japan, China and Vietnam are some of Egypt’s most promising tourist markets, with around 670,000 tourists from Asia visiting Egypt in 2018, the most recent year for which this information is available. In 2017 Japan reopened its direct flight between Tokyo and Cairo, following a four-year hiatus due to low demand. The MoTA is aiming to increase the total visitors from Japan to around 130,000 annually, following a 38.2% increase in visitors between January and September 2019.

Hotel Infrastructure

Travel agencies have flourished due to the increase in tourism over recent years, with many making group bookings in hotels and helping to drive occupancies rates up. Greater demand from travel agencies across the country reflects the growth in the business and leisure tourism, as private investors signal plans for widespread development. As part of its 2018 E-TRP strategy, the MoTA is aiming to increase the total number of hotel rooms from 89,993 in 2018 to 238,114 rooms by 2030.

Hotel occupancy rates increased in 2019, with average revenue per available room (RevPAR) growth of 20% compared to 2018. In the first 10 months of 2019 Cairo, Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh and Alexandria experienced RevPAR growth of 12%. In 2019 the occupancy rate in Cairo was 75%, up from around 70% in 2018. This trend was expected to continue with estimated occupancy rates of 81% in Cairo, 84% in Alexandria, 64% in Sharm El Sheikh and 70% in Hurghada in 2020; however, the outbreak of Covid-19 in the first half of the year has led to a considerable drop in overall rates. In January and February 2020 Cairo’s average daily room rate and RevPAR were $92 and $71, respectively, before dropping significantly in March.

In a move to significantly boost hotel offerings, the Egyptian Hotel Association (EHA) announced planned infrastructure investments of $800m for 2020. In November 2019 Maged Fawzy, chairman of the EHA, told local media that around 100,000 rooms were under construction and 8000 of these were expected to be completed in 2020, but as of June 2020 this had been delayed until at least 2021.

In 2018 E-TRP introduced new norms for hotel classification, with the aim of ensuring that national hotel classification criteria meet international standards. The EHA has overseen this process by contracting independent standards agencies to carry out comprehensive reviews across the sector.

New Projects

Meanwhile, a number of international hotel giants have announced new projects across Egypt, focusing on Cairo and the surrounding area. In February 2020 Saudi Arabia’s Hospitality Development Group announced its intention to build eight hotels over two years, at an investment cost of about $450m. The new hotels are set to be located in Cairo, Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, Marsa Alam, Luxor and Aswan. In 2018 the Marriott International and Hilton hotel groups announced several multimillion-dollar projects across Egypt, which are slated for completion by 2023.

Niche Markets

Millions of visitors flock to Egypt every year, not only for its sun-and-sea tourism, but also for its rich cultural heritage and wide array of historical sites. Beyond Cairo and the famous Great Pyramids, Luxor is attracting large numbers of tourists with its expansive range of archaeological offerings and popular hot air balloons. According to Tharwat Agamy, chairman of Luxor’s Tourism Companies Chamber, in 2019 land hotel occupation in the city increased by 90% and floating hotel occupation increased by 100%.

Egypt held its first niche tourism forum in 2013, with representatives from National Geographic’s Centre for Sustainable Development and over 100 dignitaries in attendance to discuss and plan the development of the country’s promising niche travel sector. The country has since highlighted the growing potential for ecotourism, with Egypt’s Tourism Development Authority emphasising the potential development of four specific ecotourism zones: coastal, desert, riverbanks and wetland.

Although ecotourism is developing somewhat more slowly than other areas of the industry, the Egyptian government has already established 21 protected areas in response to pressure by foreign donors. The EU and other institutions have funded environmental protection projects including a number of resort destinations in national schemes.

Religious tourism is another of Egypt’s niche segments. Egypt is home to a large number of historic temples, synagogues, churches and mosques. In 2018 the country was an official Roman Catholic Church pilgrimage destination, and it is hoped that this will result in greater numbers of Catholic pilgrims in the years to come.

Between 2018 and 2020 the MoTA invested LE65m ($4m) in the renovation of the Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue, the oldest and largest synagogue in Alexandria. It was inaugurated on January 10, 2020 and is expected to entice greater tourism in the coming years. The renovation of the synagogue, which had fallen into disrepair, demonstrates the Egyptian government’s ongoing commitment to repairing and restoring buildings of historical importance.

As part of the MoTA strategy to diversify tourist source markets, the ETA is also working to promote sports events and spaces. The Mena House Oberoi Golf Club, located close to the Great Pyramids, has welcomed golfers since the late 1800s. There are now 20 luxury golf courses to be found across Egypt, many of which have hosted large international golf tournaments. Since 2015 the country has hosted a number of gold tours as part of an initiative between the ETA and the Egyptian Golf Federation. Thanks to its warm winters and substantial investment in practice facilities, Egypt is now able to host major golfing events, attracting both amateurs and pros.

The modernisation of marketing is a key goal under E-TRP. Pillar three of the reform, promotion and marketing, provides several objectives to improve the current tourism marketing strategy. The pillar contains three broad goals: to establish international marketing and promotion partnerships; to adopt modern, digital and competitive promotion approaches; and to diversify revenue streams and increase the sector’s resilience by tapping new international source markets.

To establish an effective marketing campaign, the MoTA intends to brand by individual destination, creating identities for each of Egypt’s different tourist centres. In addition, all marketing materials will be promoted via both traditional and digital media. The country has already demonstrated considerable innovation by establishing the first specialised tourism Instagram TV – better known as IGTV – channel in the MENA region. As part of tourist market diversification, the MoTA is aiming a new winter tourism campaign at India, China and Latin American countries. Another strategy is set to focus on the Gulf, to be carried out at the ATM in 2021.

The ETA website informs visitors about all of Egypt’s major attractions and tourist destinations. The site includes an interactive map displaying what each tourist area has to offer, general tourism information, as well as a link to download the ETA app. The ETA has also introduced the #ThisIsEgypt hashtag in order to encourage travellers to share their visits and discover other experiences.

In 2019 the MoTA announced that progress had been made on its tourism promotion campaign through partnerships with international marketing and media companies including New York-based creative agency Beautiful Destinations, US news network CNN, China’s travel site Ctrip, US-based Discovery Channel, online hotel-booking site Expedia and the UK’s digital marketing company Isobar.

The MoTA hopes to attract larger numbers of international visitors with the opening of the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). The long-awaited GEM was originally slated to open in late 2020, but has been delayed until 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Through close collaboration and promotion of the #GEM2020 hashtag, the MoTA aims to establish Egypt as a prime destination for tourism.

The $1bn GEM will have a direct view of the Grand Pyramids, and is set to be the largest museum in the world with a focus on civilisations. Its exhibition of over 100,000 artefacts will include a Tutankhamen collection and several objects that have not been shown to the public since their discovery in 1922. In addition, the $17m Sphinx International Airport is expected to be fully operational for the launch of the GEM, alleviating pressure on Cairo International Airport. “The Giza Plateau is like Stratford in London,” Ibrahim El Missiri, CEO of Abu Soma Development, told OBG. “Following the 2012 Olympics, the area has been changed significantly due to massive investment. We plan the same for Giza.”

Although the spread of the Covid-19 virus in the first half of 2020 significantly impacted tourism worldwide, Egypt’s push to develop its tourism reform alongside infrastructure investment and global promotional activities looks set to lead the industry to success in the longer term.

The move to establish the country as a world leader in antiquities tourism, and further development of its traditional sun-and-sea offerings, has reinvigorated Egypt’s tourism industry. A number of new flight routes and increased airport capacity will provide international visitors greater access to the country’s many attractions in the years to come.

Request Reuse or Reprint of Article

Read More from OBG

Focus Report: How Special Economic Zones are shaping Africa's industrial landscape En Français As Africa embraces the transformative power of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Special Economic Zones (SEZs) emerge as pivotal catalysts for regional economic growth.The impact of AfCFTA on SEZs on the continent is a key part of Africa’s growth, through improved market access, reduced trade barriers, and participation in regional value chains, which all enhance overall competitiveness. ESG considerations take centre stage, highlighting the imperative for …

Culture stock: Tan Huism, Executive Director, Qatar National Library (QNL), on collaborative efforts to preserve the country’s heritage Interview: Tan Huism How have libraries adapted in response to behavioural shifts caused by the Covid-19 pandemic? TAN HUISM: During the pandemic libraries adopted innovative approaches to ensure uninterrupted access to knowledge. In QNL’s case, this included the expansion of online services and the migration of in-person services to digital platforms. As such services proved popular and convenient, we have retained many of them despite returning to pre-pandemic levels of physical books…

Ghana underscores its pivotal role as a regional and international trade partner   Oxford Business Group has launched The Report: Ghana 2024. This latest edition offers a detailed analysis of the country’s economic trajectory, focusing on fiscal consolidation and structural reforms. It examines the nation's progress in managing expenditure and debt, alongside the impact of IMF programmes and strategic reforms aimed at enhancing revenue mobilisation. Despite challenges such as financial sector stress and the upcoming elections, Ghana remains optimistic…

Register for free Economic News Updates on Africa

“high-level discussions are under way to identify how we can restructure funding for health care services”, related content.

Featured Sectors in Egypt

• Africa Agriculture
• Africa Banking
• Africa Construction
• Africa Cybersecurity
• Africa Digital Economy
• Africa Economy
• Africa Education
• Africa Energy
• Africa Environment
• Africa Financial Services
• Africa Health
• Africa Industry
• Africa Insurance
• Africa Legal Framework
• Africa Logistics
• Africa Media & Advertising
• Africa Real Estate
• Africa Retail
• Africa Safety and Security
• Africa Saftey and ecurity
• Africa Tourism
• Africa Transport

Featured Countries in Tourism

• Algeria Tourism
• Cote d'Ivoire Tourism
• Djibouti Tourism
• Egypt Tourism

Popular Sectors in Egypt

• Egypt Construction
• Egypt Economy
• Egypt Energy
• Egypt Financial Services
• Egypt Industry

Popular Countries in Tourism

• Indonesia Tourism
• Malaysia Tourism
• The Philippines Tourism
• Thailand Tourism
• Oman Tourism

Featured Reports in Egypt

Recent Reports in Egypt

• The Report: Egypt 2022
• The Report: Egypt 2020
• The Report: Egypt 2019
• The Report: Egypt 2018
• The Report: Egypt 2017

Privacy Overview

• Get involved

Towards green development in the Egyptian tourism sector

June 26, 2022.

A beach-side hotel in Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt)

Travel unlocks an innate human desire for freedom, exploration and wonderment, a heightened sense of discovery through awe-inspiring natural landscapes and an eclectic array of unique local cultures. However, preserving our environment and local cultures from the adverse impacts of increased tourism is becoming more pressing than ever before.        

Sustainable tourism must be the answer to ensure the conservation of our natural environments and cultures for future generations of explorers and globetrotters.  

“Nature is home to all creatures. It is not enough to do less harm, it is about doing more good, so the next generations still can call it home.”- Sherif Ghamrawy, Founder of Basata Ecolodge

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) defines sustainable tourism as: “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.”

Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Egypt’s Tourism (MBDT), a Global Environment Facility funded-project implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Environment - is aiming to provide continuous support to eco-certified tourism establishments and businesses to increase sectoral awareness of sustainable operations, but also to reduce the negative impacts associated with harmful tourism development and practices.

Last May, the project’s initiative ECO EGYPT launched Egypt’s first-ever Green List (GL) to promote the tourism establishments' best practices and products contributing to environmental and cultural heritage preservation. The GL contains leading hotels , diving centers , ecolodges and products that have obtained an eco-label or are adopting significant sustainable practices. 

“The Egyptian diving and water sports industry is based on a vibrant and healthy Red Sea; protecting our marine ecosystems is key to its’ the survival. We are proud of the sustainable practices taken by our Green Fins members as they are role models in how tourism activities can participate in marine conservation.”   - Lina Challita , Environmental Affairs Coordinator at the Chamber of Diving and Water Sports.

ECO EGYPT also developed an animated video displaying the journey of a sustainable traveler. The video highlights the hotels, ecolodges, diving centers and eco-friendly products that have acquired an eco-label or have proven commitment towards environmental conservation. 

During the launch event, MBDT launched complete best practices guidelines for sustainable hotel and restaurant operations. The Egyptian Sustainable Tourism Portal (ESTP) – the first online tool dedicated to hospitality professionals and tourism experts -was also launched to help increase the adoption of green and cost-effective measures in the tourism sector.  The ESTP and hospitality guidelines were developed in close coordination with the Egyptian Hotel Association (EHA) to ensure their viability and applicability.

The MBDT project has launched the national ecolodge guidelines, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and industry leaders, to formalize the licensing and operation of ecolodges across Egypt. The ecolodge guidelines are an important milestone for the growth of ecotourism and nature-based biodiversity-friendly tourism (NB/BFT) in Egypt.

These efforts to increase the sustainability of the tourism industry will provide an important case study of Egypt’s determination and commitment to the global fight against climate change and biodiversity conservation. Sharm El Sheikh is set to play a significant part in Egypt’s preparations to host COP27.  Currently, the city is witnessing an ongoing green transformation to become a model for sustainable coastal tourism centers globally.

#LookBeforeYouBook #EcoEgyptExperiences # البيئة_تستاهل_المشوار

 Written by the Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Egypt’s Tourism Project (MBDT Egypt) team.

“Nature is home to all creatures. It is not enough to do less harm, it is about doing more good, so the next generations still can call it home.”

Challenge Call for Innovative Solutions for the Protection, Preservation and Revitalization of Wetland Habitats

With the support of Sweden within the initiative "EU for Green Agenda in Serbia“, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Serbia is launching a "Challeng...

Expansion of the conservation estate: the role of biodiversity and climate finance solutions

Success is sweet for Yemeni Beekeepers

Beekeeping has been a tradition in Yemen for generations.

(Re) imagining a World of Beautiful Corals in Seychelles

Government subsidies and the environment: balancing between support and sustainability

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Share this content.

• Share this article on facebook
• Share this article on twitter
• Share this article on linkedin

EGYPTIAN TOURISM FEDERATION (ETF)

Country: Egypt

Website: http://www.etf.org.eg

The Egyptian Tourism Federation (ETF) seeks to establish the ultimate climate for sustainable growth of Egypt’s tourism industry and enhance its workforce at the highest international standards Working closely with its five affiliate business associations and the Ministry of Tourism, the ETF is responsible for shepherding the common interests of all enterprises within the tourism industry. It also assists the government and other non-governmental organizations in tourism planning and matters related to development, particularly those directly effecting tourism. The ETF plays an integral role of the advocate when legislative measures are being introduced or changed. According to the law, ETF opinion must be taken before such measures are presented for ratification with the Egyptian Parliament.

• Travel, Tourism & Hospitality ›

Leisure Travel

Tourism industry in Egypt - statistics & facts

The rich history and marine life attract tourists, the egyptian tourism sector faced a series of negative events, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP worldwide 2019-2033

Travel & Tourism market - Revenue forecast worldwide* 2020 - 2028

African countries with the largest international tourism receipts 2022

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Tourist expenditure in Egypt 2008-2022

Business Travel

Share of leisure and business tourist spending Egypt 2019-2022, by segment

Number of European tourists arriving in Egypt 2013-2022

Further recommended statistics

Regional overview.

• Premium Statistic Share of travel and tourism in Africa’s GDP 2019 -2023
• Basic Statistic Total contribution of travel and tourism to employment in Africa 2008-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals in Northern Africa 2014-2029
• Premium Statistic Number of international tourist departures in Northern Africa 2014-2029
• Premium Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals in selected African countries 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic African countries with the largest international tourism receipts 2022

Share of travel and tourism in Africa’s GDP 2019 -2023

Share of travel and tourism in Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 2019 to 2023

Total contribution of travel and tourism to employment in Africa 2008-2023

Share of the travel and tourism sector in employment in Africa from 2008 to 2023

Number of international tourist arrivals in Northern Africa 2014-2029

Number of international tourist arrivals in Northern Africa from 2014 to 2029 (in millions)

Number of international tourist departures in Northern Africa 2014-2029

Number of international tourist departures in Northern Africa from 2014 to 2029 (in millions)

Number of international tourist arrivals in selected African countries 2019-2022

Selected African countries with the largest number of international tourist arrivals in 2019 to 2022 (in millions)

Selected African countries with the largest international tourism receipts in 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Economic contribution

• Basic Statistic Contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in Egypt 2005-2023
• Basic Statistic Value added of travel and tourism to GDP in Egypt 2019-2023
• Basic Statistic Share of domestic and international tourist spending Egypt 2019 and 2022, by origin
• Basic Statistic Share of leisure and business tourist spending Egypt 2019-2022, by segment
• Basic Statistic Tourist expenditure in Egypt 2008-2022
• Basic Statistic Employment impacts of travel and tourism Egypt 2012-2023

Contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in Egypt 2005-2023

Contribution of travel and tourism to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Egypt from 2005 to 2023

Value added of travel and tourism to GDP in Egypt 2019-2023

Contribution value of travel and tourism to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Egypt from 2019 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Share of domestic and international tourist spending Egypt 2019 and 2022, by origin

Distribution of domestic and international tourist expenditure in Egypt in 2019 and 2022, by visitor origin

Distribution of leisure and business tourist expenditure in Egypt in 2019 and 2022, by segment

Tourist expenditure in Egypt from 2008 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Employment impacts of travel and tourism Egypt 2012-2023

Number of jobs in the travel and tourism sector in Egypt from 2012 to 2023 (in millions)

Inbound tourism

• Premium Statistic Number of tourist arrivals Egypt 2010-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of tourist arrivals Egypt 2019-2022, by region of origin
• Premium Statistic Number of nights spent by tourists Egypt 2019-2022, by region of origin
• Premium Statistic Number of international tourist arriving in Egypt 2022, by means of transportation

Number of tourist arrivals Egypt 2010-2022

Number of tourist arrivals in Egypt from 2010 to 2022 (in millions)

Number of tourist arrivals Egypt 2019-2022, by region of origin

Number of tourist arrivals in Egypt in 2019 and 2022, by region of origin (in millions)

Number of nights spent by tourists Egypt 2019-2022, by region of origin

Number of international overnight stays in Egypt in 2019 and 2022, by region of origin (in millions)

Number of international tourist arriving in Egypt 2022, by means of transportation

Number of international tourist arrivals in Egypt in 2022, by means of transportation (in 1,000s)

Tourism expenditure

• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism expenditure over exports of goods in Egypt 2008-2021
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism expenditure over exports of services in Egypt 2008-2021
• Basic Statistic Outbound tourism expenditure in Egypt 2008-2021
• Premium Statistic Outbound tourism expenditure over imports of goods in Egypt 2008-2021
• Premium Statistic Outbound tourism expenditure over imports of services in Egypt 2008-2021

Inbound tourism expenditure over exports of goods in Egypt 2008-2021

Inbound tourism expenditure as share of exports of goods in Egypt from 2008 to 2021

Inbound tourism expenditure over exports of services in Egypt 2008-2021

Inbound tourism expenditure as share of exports of services in Egypt from 2008 to 2021

Outbound tourism expenditure in Egypt 2008-2021

Outbound tourism expenditure in Egypt from 2008 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Outbound tourism expenditure over imports of goods in Egypt 2008-2021

Outbound tourism expenditure as share of imports of goods in Egypt from 2008 to 2021

Outbound tourism expenditure over imports of services in Egypt 2008-2021

Outbound tourism expenditure as share of imports of services in Egypt from 2008 to 2021

Hotel sector

• Premium Statistic Number of hotels and similar establishments tourism industry Egypt 2008-2019
• Premium Statistic Number of rooms in hotels and similar establishments Egypt 2008-2019
• Premium Statistic Hotel room occupancy rate Egypt 2008-2019
• Premium Statistic Length of stay of international tourists in commercial accommodations Egypt 2007-2019

Number of hotels and similar establishments tourism industry Egypt 2008-2019

Number of hotels and similar establishments in the tourism industry in Egypt from 2008 to 2019

Number of rooms in hotels and similar establishments Egypt 2008-2019

Number of rooms in hotels and similar accommodation establishments in Egypt from 2008 to 2019 (in 1,000s)

Hotel room occupancy rate Egypt 2008-2019

Occupancy rate of rooms in hotels and similar accommodation establishments in Egypt from 2008 to 2019

Length of stay of international tourists in commercial accommodations Egypt 2007-2019

Average length of stay of international tourists in commercial accommodations in Egypt from 2007 to 2019 (in number of nights)

Further reports

Get the best reports to understand your industry.

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

• My View My View
• Following Following
• Saved Saved

Egypt, UAE talks continuing over Ras El Hekma land deal

• Medium Text

Sign up here.

Reporting by Pesha Magid Editing by Patrick Werr and Gareth Jones

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

World Chevron

Vietnam arrests two well-known Facebook users over democratic freedom abuse

Police in Vietnam have arrested two well-known Vietnamese Facebook users on charges of abusing democratic freedoms, the government said on Saturday, as a major leadership reshuffle in the Communist-ruled country is settling down.

• Head of TDA Speech
• Establishment of TDA
• TDA Objective
• TDA Strategy
• Development Regions
• Hurghada - Safaga Tourism
• Marsa Alam / Ras Banas
• Sharm El Shiekh tourism
• Al Tor - Ras Muhammed
• Taba nweba' tourism
• Ras Sedr tourism
• Al Ain Al Sokhna Sector
• West North Coast tourism
• El Fayoum tourism
• Luxor tourism
• Aswan tourism
• Fostat Home
• Fostat Center
• Activities & Projects
• About Dahshur
• Tourism resources
• Tour Circuits
• Dahshur ecology
• Roads and desalination stations
• Development of the historic area in Haram
• Upgrading Nile Berths
• The Holy family trip
• Investment Opportunities
• Total of Tourism Sectors
• Infrastructure achievements
• implemented capacities
• Land Allocation
• Investment Applications
• Environmental studies

Dahshour TOURISM RESOURCES

Dahshour is considered a region with a great potential for tourism development. It is currently well-known among tour operators for the Red, Bent and Black Pyramids, but its rich natural and cultural heritage remains hidden to the most. Furthermore, the Strategic Spatial Framework for Sustainable Tourism Development (SSFSTD) mentions that “as it is now, the pyramid field is merely a sightseeing attraction, does not benefit the local communities much, if at all, and provides no reason whatsoever for people to stay on for more than 30 minutes, irrespectively of whether arriving as members of a larger group or as an independent traveller”.

Detailed data

Related sites.