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The world witnessed the year’s most significant cultural spectacle on 1 November with the official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). The ceremony, broadcast by international media and followed by millions on social media, served as one of the largest global promotions for visiting Egypt.
Mohamed Hassanein, chairman of a travel company, noted that inbound tourism through his firm has been rising since October, with the current winter season, which marks the peak period for cultural tourism.
Hassanein expects hotel prices in the area surrounding the Pyramids to continue increasing in line with the strong demand for accommodation there. If high demand persists, prices will remain elevated, he said, adding that the museum’s opening is likely to raise Egypt’s tourist arrivals in 2026 by three to five million visitors.
During the museum’s opening ceremony, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy stated that the museum’s daily visitor numbers are expected to triple from 5,000 to 15,000 visitors per day.
Egypt received around 15 million tourists during the first nine months of this year, according to earlier statements by Fathy, and the government expects the total number to reach 18 million by year’s end.
Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli stated in September that efforts are underway to expand hotel capacity to accommodate the expected increase in tourist arrivals, describing tourism as a key pillar of the economy and a fast source of foreign currency.
According to Hossam Al-Shaer, chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Federation, the current winter season is expected to witness a rise in inbound tourism. He added that this upward trend is likely to continue, boosted by the extensive publicity surrounding the GEM’s opening. Al-Shaer anticipates that Egypt will receive more than 18 million visitors by the end of the year and that arrivals in 2026 will increase by about 25 per cent compared to 2025.
Al-Shaer also noted that several travel agencies have requested additional flights to Sphinx International Airport, pointing out that hotel room prices in the vicinity of the GEM are currently rising.
Rimon Naguib, chief commercial officer of Orient Hotels Management, said that the continued increase in prices is driven by sustained high demand for the GEM. He expects this demand to persist in the coming period, supported by the global attention generated by the pre-opening promotions and media coverage, noting that over 1,200 international newspaper articles were published about the museum’s inauguration.
Naguib added that strong demand for visits to the museum will likely continue for around two years, both from tourists coming to Egypt for the first time and from returning visitors who have yet to see the GEM. He expects overall demand for travel to Egypt to rise by four to five million visitors next year, across all tourist segments — families, youth, and seniors alike.
He added that many travel companies have revised their itineraries to include visits to the GEM, noting that the most significant impact will be the increase in the average length of stay for tourists in Cairo. He expects the average stay to rise to around four nights, compared to 2.4 nights according to previous figures, predicting that tourist arrivals could reach around 22 million in 2026.
Egypt’s tourism revenues rose by 16.3 per cent to $16.7 billion during the last fiscal year, according to the Central Bank of Egypt. The growth was supported by an increase in the number of tourist nights, which reached 179.3 million during the 2024/2025 fiscal year.
Tamer Al-Shaer, board member of the Chamber of Tourism Companies and head of its Exhibitions and Conferences Committee, stated that the sharp price hikes seen in hotels near the GEM area, and in Cairo generally, some of which reached as high as 200 per cent, are unlikely to continue. He expects hotel prices to stabilise at around 20 per cent, higher than last winter season’s rates.
Egypt aims to attract investments worth $35.4 billion to add 340,000 new hotel rooms by 2031, bringing the country’s total accommodation capacity to 568,000 rooms, up from 228,000 rooms at the end of 2024.
The tourism sector is one of Egypt’s most important sources of foreign currency. The country, renowned as one of the Middle East’s top holiday destinations for its long history, beach resorts, and Nile cruises, has recorded a rise in tourist arrivals this year following an easing of geopolitical tensions in the region.
Egypt’s tourism industry has demonstrated resilience in the face of regional and international challenges, including the war between Israel and Hamas on its northeastern border and the ongoing three-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine, two countries that once accounted for a significant share of Egypt’s visitors.
Wael Abul-Seoud, treasurer of the Hotels Chamber, said that the current winter season is witnessing a substantial rise in visitor numbers, both in the Pyramids area and in Cairo generally. He noted a sharp increase in prices — up by about 300 per cent in some cases — with room rates reaching as high as $1,500 per night, while some hotels have remained unaffected.
He added that several guests had extended their stay as parts of the GEM remained closed to the public until 4 November, choosing to remain in Egypt to visit it. Abul-Seoud expects hotel occupancy rates in the Pyramids area to rise, with room prices increasing by around 15 to 25 per cent compared to last winter.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 6 November, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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