Under the slogan “Egypt — Unmatched Diversity”, Egypt is embracing a new tourism strategy centred on diversification and innovation to attract a growing number of international travellers with a focus on specific targeted markets.
During a roundtable meeting at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy engaged with the editors-in-chief and CEOs of the country’s major media organisations to present the ministry’s forward-looking vision and mission.
He outlined the pillars of the new tourism strategy, including sustainability, capacity building, digital transformation, and enhanced promotional tools. He reported impressive growth figures for early 2025, sharing optimistic projections of continued growth in the years ahead.
“Our goal is clear: to position Egypt as the world’s most dynamic and diverse tourist destination,” Fathy said.
“Under the slogan of ‘Egypt — Unmatched Diversity’, we are working to unlock the full potential of our heritage, nature, and culture, transforming them into marketable, world-class experiences that speak to today’s global traveller,” he explained.
But the strategy is not only about attracting tourists. The ministry’s mission also focuses on embedding sustainable practices across archaeological sites and tourist destinations, ensuring that local communities benefit directly from tourism revenues.
This approach is designed to foster greater public awareness of the importance of heritage conservation and to encourage local residents to become active partners in protecting Egypt’s cultural and historical treasures, as well as touristic assets.
Recognising that people are the true drivers of quality tourism, Fathy said that the ministry is heavily investing in human capacity building. A state-of-the-art e-learning platform is currently in development that is set to offer a range of training programmes in both virtual and in-person formats.
These programmes will target tourism service providers, equipping them with the skills required to deliver world-class services.
In parallel, the ministry is strengthening partnerships between academia and the tourism industry by supporting practical training within Egyptian Faculties of Tourism and Hospitality. “By linking academic knowledge with on-the-ground expertise, the ministry aims to cultivate a new generation of tourism professionals ready to meet global standards,” Fathy told reporters.
“Together, these efforts reflect a unified vision, one that positions Egypt not only as a destination of extraordinary diversity, but as a model for sustainable and inclusive tourism development in the region and beyond,” he said.
Egypt is also charting a greener future for its tourism sector through a series of initiatives. According to Fathy, 41 per cent of hotels nationwide now use clean energy, reflecting a national effort to reduce the sector’s carbon footprint. Meanwhile, 30 per cent of diving centres have obtained Green Fins certification, promoting responsible marine tourism.
Solar energy stations have been installed in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at several key archaeological sites, including the Giza Plateau’s Visitor Centre, the Mohamed Ali Palace in Manial, the Sharm El-Sheikh Museum, and the National and Royal Jewellery Museums in Alexandria.
Clean-energy vehicles have also been introduced at iconic sites like the Giza Plateau and the Salaheddin Citadel in Cairo to enhance accessibility while minimising environmental impacts.
As part of its revamped strategy to boost Egypt’s global tourism appeal, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is intensifying its reliance on digital platforms, placing social media at the heart of its promotional efforts.
Targeting key international markets, the ministry is preparing to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into its marketing operations, aiming to expand reach, enhance engagement, and attract a new generation of travellers.
While Egypt continues to draw strong numbers from traditional markets such as the wider Arab region and the European countries, it is also witnessing significant growth from China, Turkey, Spain, Russia, India, and other Asian markets.
“Our strategy is a direct response to the global context,” Fathy explained. “We live in a time marked by geopolitical challenges, yet we opt to focus on the positives.”
That optimistic outlook is already showing results. In 2024, Egypt achieved a new record in the number of tourist arrivals, reaching 15.8 million with a six per cent hike year-on-year. This growth continued in the first quarter of 2025, when Egypt received 3.9 million tourists, marking a 25 per cent hike when compared to the same quarter of 2024.
Acknowledging the strong momentum in Egypt’s tourism industry, Fathy emphasised the need to expand accommodation capacity to match rising demand.
“While we are pleased with the current developments, the shortage of hotel room capacity continues to pose a major challenge,” Fathy said. “This is why we are actively encouraging all forms of investment in hospitality infrastructure.”
To meet the projected demand, Egypt aims to add 18,000 hotel rooms by the end of 2025. With the country’s existing capacity standing at approximately 230,000 rooms, the government is targeting the development of over 200,000 additional rooms within the next two to three years and doubling capacity to reach 30 million tourists by 2030.
Egypt is also ramping up its efforts to attract investment in tourism. The government has recently launched several financial initiatives to provide support for the renovation, development, and reopening of closed hotel rooms.
In parallel, discussions are underway to introduce a new scheme focused on supporting the construction of new hotel rooms, reflecting the government’s long-term commitment to increasing capacity.
Fathy said that a centralised “investment opportunities bank” for the tourism sector is under development that will enable all the ministries concerned to present available tourism projects on a single digital platform, providing a comprehensive and accessible database for investors.
Streamlining financial obligations and procedures, including a full review of fees and licensing requirements and acceleration of the licensing process, is another part of this initiative to streamline the investment process for developers and attract much-needed capital to expand Egypt’s accommodation capacity.
“If we succeed, it will be a true breakthrough,” Fathy said. In tandem, he added, the government is advancing a comprehensive development master plan for the area stretching from the Sphinx International Airport to Saqqara, encompassing the GEM and the Pyramids of Giza, to transform it into a world-class integrated tourist destination.
As part of its broader strategy, the ministry has introduced newly approved minimum standards for holiday homes, inspired by the Airbnb model. The move aims to regulate informal hospitality offerings, particularly in regions like the New Valley and Aswan, where some properties have operated outside the formal tourism framework.
“We are seeing growing interest from property owners to register their homes with the ministry,” Fathy noted. To further stimulate investment, it has waived all fees for converting existing business licences into tourism licences, while ensuring safety, quality, and guest comfort.
The official opening of the long-awaiting GEM was another focus of the roundtable meeting. Scheduled for 3 July, the GEM will be Egypt’s gift to humanity with its exquisite architectural design and its treasured collection.
Fathy highlighted that the forthcoming official opening of the GEM will mark a significant milestone on the global cultural stage.
“We are committed to maintaining strict confidentiality around all the details related to the museum’s opening ceremony. This ensures that the event will be a truly exceptional and memorable moment when we officially unveil this national treasure to the world,” he said.
“The GEM is far more than a world-class exhibition space; it is poised to become a premier regional and international centre for Egyptology, research, and scholarship,” he added.
Located adjacent to the Giza Pyramids, the GEM is set to welcome scholars and researchers from across the globe, reinforcing Egypt’s position as a leader in archaeological studies.
The GEM will close its doors from 15 June to 3 July in preparation for the grand opening. It is expected that the GEM will attract from 12,000 to 15,000 visitors a day after its opening.
An earlier soft opening has already provided a peek into the museum’s grandeur and a taste of what visitors can expect once its doors are fully open.
The museum’s main galleries offer visitors an unprecedented journey through Ancient Egyptian civilisation spanning from around 7000 BCE to 394 CE. The galleries present this civilisation’s history through a rich tapestry of ancient treasures and archaeological collections meticulously designed to tell the long story of Ancient Egypt.
With 12 galleries organised into four broad time periods and the three thematic pillars of Society, Kingship, and Beliefs, visitors are invited to explore Egyptian history in multiple ways. Whether choosing to move chronologically or thematically, or combining both, each visitor can create a unique and personalised journey through Egypt’s past.
The Tutankhamun Galleries and the Khufu Boats Museum remain closed until the grand opening of the whole museum.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 May, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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