Egypt tourism to hit 20 Million visitors by 2029

CAIRO - 2 December 2025: Egypt’s tourism sector is poised for sustained, explosive growth, according to a recent report by the American rating agency Fitch Solutions. The report, highlighted by the Cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC), underscores the strong momentum in tourist arrivals, Egypt’s rising influence on the global market, and government efforts to elevate the sector’s standing in the national economy.

Fitch maintains an "Positive Outlook" for Egypt’s tourism sector, forecasting strong momentum extending through 2026. Key projections include:

2026 Tourist Arrivals: Expected to reach 18.6 million tourists, representing a 4.6% year-on-year increase.

Long-Term Growth: Arrivals are projected to continue rising at an annual growth rate of 5.8% until 2029, reaching an estimated 20.8 million tourists.

The report confirms that Egypt has fully recovered from the pandemic’s impact, noting that 2023 arrivals surged by 26.9%, surpassing 2019 levels by 114%.

Fitch anticipates that tourist numbers from Europe will reach 10.2 million in 2026, up from 8.4 million pre-pandemic, cementing Europe as the primary source of tourism for Egypt in the short to medium term.

Egypt benefits significantly from the UK, Germany, Italy, and France.

Expansion: The country is actively expanding its targeting of Eastern European markets, including Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and the Czech Republic.

Egypt retains its appeal as a preferred winter destination for Europeans seeking affordable holidays. The country is particularly attractive to Russian tourists due to its proximity and reasonable prices amid fewer travel options and higher European costs.

In parallel with the surge in visitor numbers, Fitch projects a significant boost in tourism revenue:

2026 International Revenue: Expected to reach $17.8 billion, a 4.2% increase from the previous year.

2029 Revenue Forecast: Revenue is anticipated to continue growing to $19.1 billion, with an annual growth rate of 3.3%.

The sector benefits from high spending power tourists from markets like the UK, Germany, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Fitch also predicts that the Gross Value Added (GVA) from Egypt’s accommodation and food services will grow by 16.7% in 2026, reaching EGP 635.3 billion.

The report highlights Egypt as an established tourism market with advanced hotel infrastructure along the Red Sea coast, Luxor, Aswan, and Cairo. Egypt offers a unique blend of beach, cultural, and historical tourism, featuring seven UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Government efforts support this growth through:

Marketing Campaigns: Expanding campaigns from Europe to the GCC and North Africa.

Strategic Promotion: Launching campaigns like "Follow the Sun" in Europe and "Your Vacation is Here" in the Middle East, targeting Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Jordan.

Digital Outreach: Continuing engagement with bloggers and influencers to promote Egyptian destinations.