Egypt’s tourism at ITB Berlin: Industry soars with 15 million visitors in 2023
Egypt announces at ITB Berlin: Tourism booms to 15M in 2023, a jump from 4.9M, with 1.6M Germans. A pivotal moment for Egypt’s global tourism.
Egypt shines at ITB Berlin, announcing a tourism surge with 15M visitors in 2023, up from 2021’s 4.9M, led by 1.6M German tourists, spotlighting the country’s triumph at the global event. German tourists made up a large portion of this number, with 1.6 million visitors from Germany alone.
Along with Germany, tourists also arrived from Russia, Saudi Arabia, Italy, and the United Kingdom. “Egypt is currently undergoing substantial changes in its tourism policies and making significant investments in infrastructure and the restoration of antiquities,” said H.E. Ahmed Issa. “These efforts are part of a transformative reform towards deregulation and liberalization, aiming to attract new investors and redefine the collaboration between the government and the private sector. Over the past 7 years, Egypt has allocated an impressive 22% of its GDP for comprehensive infrastructure development.”
In the first quarter of 2024, Egypt also plans to introduce high-speed train services to reduce travel times across the country. Additionally, a new road will be opened to shorten the journey from Luxor to Hurghada. Environmentally friendly hop-on-hop-off buses are set to launch in 2024, improving accessibility and sustainability for tourists, thus enhancing their overall experience in Egypt.
“We have implemented new measures to decrease the carbon footprint of the industry. Our aim is to further develop these initiatives to provide tourists with an environmentally sustainable experience.”
Enhancing the customer experience at archaeological sites is another focus of The Egyptian Tourism Board. For instance, plans are underway for a new visitor center at the Pyramids of Giza and the grand opening of The Grand Egyptian Museum in 2024. This museum will be the world’s largest dedicated to a single civilization.
The third pillar of their strategy involves collaborating with hotels to expand their capacities, resulting in an increase of over 10%. With this collaboration, doubling the country’s hotel room capacity from 30,000 to 60,000 within the next 5 years is expected.
In the coming years, efforts will be made to promote the North Coast which is a domestic attraction venue for the Egyptian Middle Class at the moment. According to H.E. Ahmed Issa, the aim is to significantly increase the number of rooms along the North Coast, as it is seen as a promising destination for Egyptian tourism.
H.E. Ahmed Issa addressed the safety concerns during his last words: “Concerned about safety during your visit to Egypt? According to tourist statistics, European visitors consider Egypt to be one of the safest destinations in the Mediterranean region. With a landmass double the size of France, Egypt has a capacity to welcome tourists with its attractions throughout the year.”