Egypt grows tourism thanks to its visa waiver program

19-06-24

Egypt's tourism sector is booming thanks to a new visa-free policy for citizens of nine selected countries, including Bahrain, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Lebanon, Macau, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. This strategy not only simplifies travel but also strengthens international relations and encourages a greater influx of visitors, especially from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations.

In 2023, Egypt reached a record 15 million tourists, a remarkable increase from 4.9 million in 2021. This growth has continued in 2024, with a 27% increase in visitors during the first four months of the year, driven significantly by a 54% increase in tourists from Arab countries.

The Cairo City Break program is a key initiative in the revitalization of tourism in Egypt. This program aims to transform Cairo into a premier destination for extended weekend getaways, highlighting its rich diversity of historical and cultural sites. This initiative is expected to double the city's hotel capacity to 60,000 rooms over the next five years.

Cairo International Airport has played a key role in this growth, with a 30% increase in passenger traffic by 2023, reaching 26 million. This growth underlines Cairo's importance as a hub for major airlines such as Egyptair and Nile Air.

The economic impact of tourism in Egypt is significant, contributing approximately $32 billion to GDP in 2022, up from $22.3 billion in 2021. This growth positions Egypt as a leader in Africa's travel and tourism competitiveness index.

Projections for the future of tourism in Egypt are promising, with the hospitality industry forecast to reach $4.65 billion by 2029 and the travel and tourism market growing annually by 5.98%, reaching $7.226 billion by 2028. These figures highlight the success of the policies and infrastructure implemented to foster a thriving tourism environment.

List of countries that can visit Egypt without a visa:

• Bahrain

• Hong Kong

• Kuwait

• Lebanon

• Macau

• Oman

• Saudi Arabia

• United Arab Emirates

• Malaysia