Tourism in Egypt is one of the leading sources of income, a vital component of the national economy. At its peak in 2010, the sector employed about 12% of workforce of Egypt,"Egypt tourism numbers to fall less than feared", Reuters Africa, October 21, 2009 serving approximately 14.7 million visitors to Egypt, and providing revenues of nearly $12.5 billion as well as contributing more than 11% of GDP and 14.4% of foreign currency revenues.
History
The number of tourists visiting Egypt was 0.1 million in 1952. Tourism became a significant sector of the economy from 1975 onwards, as Egypt eased visa restrictions for nearly all European and North American countries and established embassies in new nations such as Austria, Netherlands, Denmark, and Finland. In 1976, tourism was a central focus of the Government’s Five Year Plan, which allocated 12% of the budget to upgrading state-owned hotels, creating a loan fund for private hotels, and improving infrastructure, including road, rail, and air connectivity, for major tourist centers and coastal areas. Between 1979 and 1981, tourism experts and advisors from Turkey were brought in, and several new colleges were established with Turkish assistance to offer diploma courses in hospitality and tourism management. Tourist arrivals increased to 1.8 million in 1981 and rose further to 5.5 million in 2000. The number of visitors peaked in 2010, reaching 14.7 million. Revenues from tourism reached their highest level at $12.6 billion in the fiscal year 2018–2019.
In 2020, tourism-related revenues fell by nearly seventy percent to $4 billion. According to Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled El-Enany, tourist arrivals dropped to 3.5 million in 2020.
In February 2022, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, stated in a publication that Egypt’s tourism sector was the biggest loser from the coronavirus outbreak.
Impact of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 The 2011 Egyptian revolution that included attacks on foreign journalists such as British journalist Natasha Smith and South African Lara Logan in Cairo's Tahrir Midan (Liberation Square), along with the series of 2012–13 Egyptian protests, have negatively affected tourism. The new regime has worked hard to create stability and the Red Sea resorts, in particular, have had increasing tourist numbers.
During the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, the number of visitors plummeted by over 37 percent, falling from 14 million in 2010 to 9 million by the end of 2011. This has impacted a diverse range of businesses directly or indirectly dependent on tourism, from travel accommodation and tourist attractions to car rental and air transportation, as well as health and wellness industries. Tour operators offering heavy discounts to encourage tourists back have been somewhat successful at the Red Sea resorts where prices remain lower compared to 2011.
In the first half of 2014, the number of tourists further declined by 25 percent compared with the same period in 2013, while revenues also shrank by 25 percent.
In 2013, Egypt ranked 85th as the world's best country in terms of tourism and traveling, falling ten places from its ranking of 75 in 2011. However, it regained some ground in the 2017 rankings being rated 75th overall. As of the 2019 rankings, Egypt ranks 65th overall.
Israelis can cross into Egypt for 14 days without a visa at certain areas near Taba. They mostly come to enjoy areas on the Red Sea Riviera.DK. DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Egypt. DK Publishing; 2 February 2016. . p. 334–. In 2017, the first group of Israelis visited the more popular tourist attractions with the aid of strong security. It had been 18 months since any group of Israeli tourists had visited Egypt.
In 2017, Bloomberg said Egypt has "shed its years of social and political unrest" and made the top 20 list of 2017 travel destinations. The latest United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has revealed that Egypt is one of the world's fast-growing tourist destination. In 2017, the number rose to 8 million tourists compared to the previous year which was about 5.26 million.
Security
The General Administration of Tourism and Antiquities Police is responsible for ensuring the security of tourists, archaeological sites, museums, and cultural facilities in Egypt, operating under the Egyptian Ministry of Interior. Its duties include securing the movement of tourist groups by monitoring or accompanying them, protecting archaeological and tourist sites, safeguarding Nile cruises, and combating crimes against tourists and antiquities. Additionally, the administration oversees tourism companies and shops, investigates tourist complaints, deploys police rescue vehicles to maintain security in key tourist areas, and addresses cases of trespassing.
Given Egypt’s geopolitical position in the Middle East and Africa, and its proximity to regional conflicts, the country has faced several terrorist incidents targeting tourism, with some of the most notable being the 1997 Luxor massacre, the 2004 Sinai bombings, the 2005 Cairo and Sharm el-Sheikh attacks, the 2006 Dahab bombings, and the downing of Metrojet Flight 9268. These attacks significantly impacted the tourism sector, leading to declines in visitor numbers and revenue.
Despite these challenges, Egyptian tourism demonstrated resilience and recovery, particularly in the 2010s. Even after the 2017 Hurghada attack, the sector quickly rebounded, achieving high annual revenues as tourist confidence was restored and security measures were strengthened.
Statistics
+Yearly tourist arrivals in millions
+ Tourism in Egypt in 1995–2020 Year Total number of tourists,million Total number of nights,million Total revenue,billion USD 1995 2.9 3.0 2000 5.2 4.7 2005 8.2 7.2 2010 14.7 147.4 12.5 2011 9.8 114.2 8.7 2012 11.5 137.8 9.9 2013 9.5 94.4 6.0 2014 9.9 97.3 7.2 2015 9.3 84.1 3.3 2016 5.4 37.2 4.4 2017 8.9 9.8 2018 11.3 12.6 2019 13.0 136 2020 3.5 4.0 2021 4.9 2022 11.7 10.7 2023 14.9 13.6 2024 15.7 14.4
Most tourists to Egypt came from the following countries Country2022202120202019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 1,302,240423,272352,8451,729,051 1,707,382 1,232,343 653,915 1,020,879 877,228 1,010,9211,115,46880,643264,108145,64293,99253,8642,389,8823,138,958 799,560501,813150,886891,626 909,092 669,574 507,325 433,067 350,109 640,180168,17537,855530,226 405,399 234,986 234,676 161,035 140,425 528,26985,06395,804619,425 421,992 225,148 131,458 332,932 400,356 506,460109,398114,651455,614 435,772 319,388 231,299 869,481 905,713 428,448233,376118,079349,596 287,796 226,429 184,341 188,712 154,619 420,832286,723111,289413,892 303,720 177,433 67,231 207,253 302,815 310,126150,98989,218298,812 217,533 150,241 101,075 136,623 144,766 242,7661,402,460741,9471,551,680 1,174,234 797,270 425,000 363,586 446,450 298,319250,125135,584440,309 410,659 336,370 282,845 268,541 210,957 222,171134,69947,993163,630136,01073,85568,34462,240114,057 190,43069,28139,939164,873 164,532 176,629 150,352 139,666 120,882 184,84655,64565,024218,527 189,679 151,791 82,823 150,422 126,817 178,962120,22642,450203,603 208,283 211,842 179,827 177,131 170,783 150,726180,81058,145156,591133,01569,5706,57122,99815,106 140,52150,46632,823173,720 164,696 122,916 67,541 144,772 130,522 136,11285,35233,758119,541110,40575,40346,08990,48380,389121,68134,01531,488148,974136,89195,72550,59192,01074,246103,07378,66831,00064,26865,80363,68753,66252,28163,08158,81443,53631,13890,94669,90742,63217,21631,78030,856 58,11631,30144,173214,202 234,747 287,260 179,459 115,158 61,697 56,920247,219135,156327,332 273,987 162,481 53,972 149,641 166,550 52,45052,08343,11094,702104,80590,92276,57847,53349,986Total Foreigner11,724,0657,997,9173,676,35913,026,44111,346,3898,292,3265,398,9349,327,8049,877,762
Major attractions
Major tourist destinations include the millennia-old monuments in the Nile Valley. Principal among them are the Pyramids and Great Sphinx at Giza, the Abu Simbel temples south of Aswan and the Karnak Temple Complex and Valley of the Kings near Luxor. Attractions in Cairo include the Cairo Museum and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha. The coast of the Sinai Peninsula has well-visited seaside resorts, in addition to Hurghada City on the Red Sea coast and the Famous El Gouna Resort 25 km Hurghada. Giza, 20 km southwest of Cairo, has several remains from the 26th century BC such as temples and monuments to pharaohs including the Great Sphinx, and the Great Pyramids of Giza. Saqqara, 30 km south of Cairo is a vast, ancient burial ground which served as the necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis. It features numerous pyramids, including the world's oldest standing step pyramid, as well as a number of mastabas. Luxor, about 500 km south of Cairo, is the site of the ancient city of Thebes. It includes the ruins of the temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor, which stand within the modern city. On the opposite side of the Nile River lie the monuments, temples and tombs on the West Bank Necropolis, which include the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens. Abu Simbel, about 850 km south of Cairo (near the Egypt–Sudan border) is an archaeological site comprising two massive rock temples originally carved out of a mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II (13th century BC). The complex was relocated in its entirety in the 1960s to avoid being submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser. They are now situated on an artificial hill made from a domed structure high above the Aswan High Dam reservoir. Alexandria is a main summer resort, due to its beaches, ancient history and Museums, especially the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a modern project based on reviving the ancient Library of Alexandria. Sinai Peninsula- Sinai has the beach resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba as well as locations mentioned in the Bible such as Mount Sinai ("Jabal Musa"). Saint Catherine's Monastery may be the oldest working Christian monastery in the world. Ain Sukhna, about 110 km east of Cairo has a number of beach resorts. Assiut, in south of Egypt, has historic buildings from the time of the pharaohs and ancient mosques. Hurghada and El Gouna resort on the Red Sea Coast, 25 km from Hurghada International Airport, are both famous for their beaches, snorkeling and diving, and El Gouna is famous for its nightlife.
Ancient Egypt
The civilization of Ancient Egypt left behind numerous monuments and temples, many of which are major attractions for modern visitors. Among them are the pyramids, with over 70 pyramids along the Nile, the most famous being the three pyramids of Giza. Built over 4,000 years ago during the reigns of Kings Cheops, Kefren, and Mykerinos, these pyramids served as royal tombs, with their bodies buried within. The pyramid of Cheops, also known as the Great Pyramid, is the largest, originally standing at 145 meters. Beside the pyramids stands the Sphinx, a colossal lion-bodied statue guarding the site.
Further south lies the Saqqara Complex, a vast necropolis that includes Memphis, the administrative capital of ancient Egypt, founded around 3000 BC by Menes. This area contains 11 pyramids, as well as Zoser's funerary complex, the tomb of Mereruka, and the Serapeum, an underground vault where mummified Apis bulls were interred in massive granite sarcophagi.
In Thebes, the Valley of the Kings holds the rock-cut tombs of 26 pharaohs from the 18th to 20th dynasties, including Tutankhamun, Ramses the Great, and Tuthmosis III. These tombs were carved into the cliffs to protect them from looting, unlike the exposed pyramid tombs of earlier periods. Nearby, the Valley of the Queens contains additional royal burials, preserving the legacy of Egypt’s most powerful rulers.
Nile cruises