Egypt’s tourism sector recorded its strongest performance in a decade during the 2024/25 fiscal year, underscoring its importance as a critical source of foreign currency and a key contributor to the national economy. Data from the government’s Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC) revealed that tourism’s share of gross domestic product (GDP) increased to 3.7 percent from 3.4 percent in the previous year.

This growth was driven by a substantial rise in tourism revenues, which surged 56.1 percent to $16.7 billion, reaching the highest level seen in seven years, according to figures from the Central Bank of Egypt. Additionally, tourist nights experienced a notable increase of 16.4 percent, rising to 179.3 million. This uptick reflects both an increase in visitor numbers and longer average stays across the country’s beach resorts, cultural heritage sites, and Nile cruise destinations.

The positive trajectory continued into the first half of the 2025/26 fiscal year, with tourism revenues expanding 17.3 percent to $10.2 billion, compared to $8.7 billion in the same period the previous year. Egypt welcomed nearly 19 million tourists in 2025, representing a 21 percent increase over 2024 and signaling a robust recovery and growing international appeal.

Looking ahead, the government has set an ambitious target of attracting 30 million tourists annually by 2030. This goal is supported by significant infrastructure upgrades and an uptick in private sector investment in the tourism industry. Projections from Fitch Solutions estimate tourist arrivals will reach 18.6 million in 2026 and steadily rise to 20.7 million by 2029, with revenues projected to hit $19 billion.

Egypt’s tourism capacity has expanded in step with demand. By the end of 2025, the country hosted approximately 1,300 hotels, 2,240 tourism companies, and more than 17,000 tourist vehicles. The nation also improved its global standing, advancing to 61st place out of 119 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Travel and Tourism Development Index, up from 66th in 2019.

For the third consecutive year, Egypt was recognized as Africa’s leading tourism destination by Bloom Consulting. To sustain this upward momentum, the government plans to increase investment in tourism and antiquities by nearly 60 percent to LE116.2 billion in the 2025/26 fiscal year.