Egypt: 46% increase in number of tourists in 2022

The number of visitors to Egypt is expected to increase by 28 percent this year to 15 million, Issa added in a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

Travellers to Egypt increased by 35 percent in January and February, compared to the same months of 2022, he noted.

During the meeting, Madbouly said the recent growth in the number of tourists was the result of a host of key measures the government has adopted over the past year.

Egypt has been working to ensure the recovery of the tourism industry, one of the country’s leading economic sectors, after it was hit by the coronavirus pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

The Russian and Ukrainian markets are among the largest markets for tourism to Egypt.

The government took numerous measures to stimulate the sector, including deciding in January to allow 180 nationalities to obtain tourist visas on arrival to Egypt provided they have a valid and used visa on their passports for either the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, Japan, or the Schengen countries.

The Ministry of Transport also launched in September its first-ever online platform to regulate the entry of yacht trips into the country as part of a newly developed strategy to leverage the country’s unique strategic geographical location and long coastal lines.

Promoting tourism has gained further urgency in Egypt amid the global economic crisis, which has put pressure on the local currency and caused Egypt to face a shortage in foreign currency.

Egypt targets tourism investments of EGP 7.4 billion in FY2022/2023, compared to EGP 6.2 billion in FY2021/2022, according to a statement by Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said in December.