Cairo, Capital of Tourism 2026 designated by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
03-06-24
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has designated Cairo as the capital of tourism for the year 2026. This announcement was made during the twelfth session of the conference of tourism ministers of the 57 OIC member countries, held in Uzbekistan.
Egyptian Minister of Tourism Ahmed Issa underlined the benefits that this designation brings to Cairo, highlighting the “diverse potential” of the Egyptian capital and its development within the 'Cairo City Break' initiative, aimed at increasing tourist overnight stays in the city.
Cairo's bid focused on several strategic axes. One of the main ones was the historical route of antiquities, which covers monuments from different periods and archaeological sites such as Giza, Saqara, Abu Sir, Dashour and Mit Rehina. In addition, the spiritual route was included, covering Islamic heritage sites such as the religious complex and mosques of Al Hakim Bi Amrillah, Al Azhar, Ibn Tulun and the Mamluk cemeteries. Also highlighted was the Holy Family Route in Cairo, which includes the Virgin Mary Tree in Matareya, the Church of the Virgin in Maadi and the Church of Abi Serga in the city's Coptic Quarter.
Speaking at a conference in Muscat, the capital of Oman, entitled 'Investing in Tourism', Minister Ahmed Issa said the aim is to “encourage the rapid growth” of hotel capacity in Egypt, recognizing that the country is “one of the world's tourism markets with the lowest capacity relative to demand”. To achieve this, the Egyptian government has announced significant new financial incentives. These include rebates of up to 50% of expenditure to investors who rapidly build hotel rooms during the first five years of their projects.
This concerted effort not only seeks to strengthen Cairo's tourism infrastructure but also to position the city as a premier tourist destination, attracting visitors from around the world and boosting the country's economic development.
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