Chinese tourists expected to drive tourism growth in Egypt

"It has always been my dream to travel to Egypt. Its rich civilization, full of mysteries and stories, captivates me," said Ji Siqi, a Chinese tourist who kick-starts her seven-day trip to Egypt with a visit to the Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo.

At the museum, a Chinese family, who identified themselves only by their surname Rui, said they were impressed by the abundance of Egypt's cultural relics and historic sites.

"Children should learn about ancient civilizations to broaden their horizons, so we come here," the mother of the family told Xinhua, as they neared the end of their 13-day family trip that covers destinations including the cities of Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and the Red Sea resort city of Hurghada.

Both Ji and the Rui family are among the tens of thousands of Chinese visitors traveling to Egypt, an increasingly popular destination located about 7,000 km from China.

In 2024, about 300,000 Chinese tourists visited the North African country, home to the world-renowned pyramids and temples, the Chinese embassy in Egypt revealed in mid-December. Egyptian authorities said the figure represented a remarkable 63 percent increase compared to 2023.

Chinese tourists are part of the 15.7 million visitors who arrived in Egypt in 2024. This figure surpasses the previous record of 14.9 million set in 2023 and marks the second consecutive year Egypt has exceeded its 2010 tourism peak of 14.7 million visitors, according to Egyptian authorities.

In a statement released by the Egyptian cabinet on Jan. 1, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced that the country aims to attract 18 million visitors in 2025.

Analysts say that with the strong relations between the two countries, the Chinese market will undoubtedly play a key role in driving the expansion of Egypt's tourism sector this year.