Under the auspices of Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli, 300 global leaders in travel and tourism gathered aboard the Crystal Serenity as it sailed through the Suez Canal for the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) first‑ever leadership cruise this week.
The voyage marked a landmark floating summit, placing one of the world’s most strategic waterways at the heart of a global dialogue at a time when the tourism sector is redefining itself after years of disruption.
Over the course of three days and under the theme of “A Leadership Journey for Global Tourism Leaders: Recovery, Leadership, and Transformation Prospects for the Travel and Tourism Sector in the Next Decade,” ministers, government officials, representatives of international organisations, and public and private sector executives engaged in high-level discussions focused not only on tourism recovery, but also on how to build a more resilient, connected, and future-ready industry.
The summit explored some of the most pressing issues facing the sector, including rebuilding global connectivity, restoring traveller confidence, addressing workforce shortages, mobilising private investment, accelerating digital transformation, and enabling seamless cross-border travel.
Particular attention was placed on the Middle East’s growing role as a global tourism hub and on the importance of public-private collaboration in sustaining momentum across international markets.
“This historic first leadership cruise marks an important milestone for the WTTC and for the Middle East, reinforcing the region’s role as a driver of global travel and tourism growth, resilience, and opportunity,” said WTTC CEO Gloria Guevara.
During the cruise, the WTTC unveiled its latest report, “Accelerating Travel & Tourism Recovery: Global Evidence from Four Decades of Crises”, delivering a clear message to governments and industry leaders worldwide that tourism remains one of the world’s most resilient sectors.
The report draws on four decades of data and analysis across more than 100 major crises and highlighted Egypt as a leading example of resilience within the global tourism sector, reflecting the country’s strong recovery trajectory following multiple regional and global challenges.
Its release comes at a pivotal moment for the industry as travel and tourism continues to drive global economic growth despite ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainty. According to WTTC data, the sector contributed $11.6 trillion to global GDP in 2025, representing nearly 10 per cent of the global economy and supporting 366 million jobs worldwide.
“The report sends a reassuring message to the global tourism industry that travel always finds its way back,” said Guevara, noting that resilience has become part of the sector’s identity, with destinations consistently recovering and often returning stronger when governments and industry leaders act quickly and work together.
She said that launching the report while sailing through the Suez Canal carried strong symbolism at a defining moment for global tourism, highlighting the importance of leadership, coordination, and confidence in shaping the speed and strength of the industry’s recovery.
Egypt emerged not only as the host nation, but also as a central example of resilience and transformation within the sector. Speaking during the summit, Guevara described Egypt as “a great example of resilience in the sector,” pointing to the country’s remarkable recovery and sustained growth over recent years.
She highlighted the leadership of President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi in championing tourism development as a key pillar of the sector’s growth, noting that it had contributed an estimated $34.4 billion to Egypt’s economy in 2025 while welcoming nearly 19 million visitors.
Tourism revenues have also witnessed significant growth, rising from $4.9 billion in 2020-2021 to more than $18 billion in 2025, reflecting rapid recovery and expanding global appeal.
Guevara said that the decision to host the cruise through the Suez Canal carried both strategic and symbolic significance.
“The Suez Canal could not be a more fitting location for the WTTC leadership cruise,” she noted, emphasising its role as a global crossroads connecting economies, cultures, and international movement. She added that the gathering represented a unique opportunity to bring together public and private-sector leaders from around the world to collaborate on accelerating the global tourism recovery.
CONFIDENCE: For WTTC Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre, the significance of the cruise extended well beyond its symbolic setting.
Describing the gathering as “far more than a historic event”, he said the summit reflected the sector’s determination to move forward with “confidence and clarity” at a critical moment for the global industry.
Lefebvre emphasised that recovery cannot be driven by optimism alone but needed sustained leadership, investment, and coordinated action across the industry. He highlighted Egypt’s role as an ideal host for the event, describing the country as one of the world’s most compelling tourism destinations and pointing to its growing global tourism profile, strategic location, and expanding infrastructure investment.
Sherif Fathy, minister of tourism and antiquities, highlighted Egypt’s broader tourism vision, one centred on cultural preservation, destinations with unmatched diversity, and sustainable long-term growth.
Speaking during a leadership dialogue titled “Preserving the Past and Shaping the Future”, he emphasised that Egypt’s greatest strength lies in the unmatched diversity of its tourism offering and products, combining archaeological heritage, coastal destinations, cultural experiences, and nature-based tourism within a single destination.
He noted that this diversity continues to drive growing international interest, adding that visits to Egypt’s archaeological sites and museums have increased by approximately 1.2 million.
Much of the discussion focused on the balance between preserving cultural heritage and expanding tourism development. Fathy stressed that protecting archaeological sites remains a national priority, while also highlighting ongoing investments aimed at improving visitor experiences and tourism infrastructure across the country.
He pointed to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) as a major milestone in Egypt’s tourism development strategy, describing it as the largest archaeological museum in the Middle East and a project that reflects the country’s ambition to position itself as a leading global cultural destination.
The conversation extended beyond heritage to include the future of tourism innovation. Fathy noted that Egypt is increasingly integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into tourism marketing and promotion strategies, while emphasising the importance of maintaining balanced governance frameworks as digital technologies continue to evolve.
Throughout the session, Egypt was presented not only as a destination rich in history, but also as a country actively reshaping its tourism sector through investment, modernisation, and long-term strategic planning.
The discussion highlighted Egypt’s growing use of public-private partnerships (PPP) to enhance tourism services and improve visitor experiences across museums and archaeological sites, while maintaining heritage preservation as a core priority.
Fathy emphasised that cooperation with the private sector is being implemented through clear governance frameworks, defined responsibilities, and performance standards aimed at supporting sustainable tourism development without compromising the protection of archaeological sites.
Several projects are successful examples of this model, including the GEM, the revitalisation of Esna, and the redevelopment of the area surrounding the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) in Fustat. Speakers noted that these partnerships have contributed to improving tourism infrastructure, upgrading visitor services, and supporting broader economic and cultural development initiatives across heritage destinations.
Discussions at the summit also focused on the future of seamless travel and the role of technology in shaping global tourism, with Fathy highlighting Egypt’s efforts to improve travel facilitation policies and expand inbound air connectivity to support tourism growth.
He emphasised the importance of balancing technological innovation with practical implementation, particularly in areas related to data protection, operational readiness, and traveller confidence. He noted that AI is expected to play a growing role in tourism services and personalised travel experiences, while stressing the need for stronger international cooperation and integrated travel systems to support smoother and more sustainable global mobility.
HERITAGE AND ECONOMY: The WTTC programme featured a discussion between archaeologist and former minister of antiquities Zahi Hawass and CBS News broadcaster Peter Greenberg on the global importance of Egypt’s archaeological heritage and its role in shaping the future of cultural tourism.
Hawass emphasised the importance of balancing heritage preservation with enhancing the visitor experience at archaeological sites and museums. He highlighted Egypt’s ongoing archaeological discoveries, restoration efforts, and international initiatives to recover antiquities from abroad. He also noted that Egypt’s cultural and tourism assets position the country to attract more than 30 million visitors annually, underscoring the continued global fascination with ancient Egyptian civilisation.
Economic growth and tourism resilience were recurring themes throughout the WTTC cruise, with Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom using his keynote address to position tourism as one of Egypt’s most strategically important economic sectors.
Rostom highlighted the sector’s strong recovery trajectory in recent years, despite continued geopolitical and economic challenges affecting global markets. He pointed to a series of economic reforms and tourism-focused investments that have helped restore momentum across the industry, describing tourism as “a critical contributor to economic growth, foreign currency generation, and job creation”.
According to figures presented during the summit, Egypt welcomed approximately 17.4 million visitors during the 2024-2025 fiscal year, generating nearly $16.7 billion in tourism revenues and recording around 179 million tourist nights. Rostom noted that the sector had achieved an average annual growth rate exceeding 25 per cent in the years following the pandemic, outperforming many competing tourism markets globally.
He also emphasised the growing diversification of Egypt’s tourism source markets, particularly with increased arrivals from Western Europe and Asia, which he said strengthens the sector’s resilience and reduces reliance on individual markets during periods of volatility.
Throughout his remarks, Rostom framed tourism as a central pillar within Egypt’s broader long-term economic strategy, pointing to the country’s ongoing investments in infrastructure, transportation, and tourism development, alongside wider efforts to attract private investment and build a more diversified and resilient economy capable of sustaining long-term growth.
While acknowledging the impact of regional instability and global uncertainty, Rostom stressed that Egypt’s approach has focused on proactive crisis management, economic diversification, and long-term planning, factors he suggested continue to strengthen investor confidence and support the country’s tourism ambitions.
LEADERSHIP: One of the WTTC cruise’s key discussions focused on leadership and crisis management in the global tourism sector, bringing together former heads of state and senior policymakers to examine how governments can support long-term tourism resilience and growth.
The session featured former Mexican president Felipe Calderón, former Argentine president Mauricio Macri, and former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi, who discussed decision-making during times of crisis, the economic importance of tourism, and the need for stronger coordination between governments and the private sector to support sustainable industry growth.
The cruise featured the first international address by US Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, Exceptionalism, and Values Nick Adams since he assumed office in March, adding further international political weight to the summit’s discussions of the future of global tourism.
Adams highlighted the strategic importance of the travel and tourism sector to the US economy and outlined the country’s ambitions for continued tourism growth in the years ahead. He pointed to the strong institutional support the sector receives within the US, alongside efforts to expand tourism offerings and strengthen the country’s position as one of the world’s leading travel destinations.
He also referenced the US goal of attracting 100 million visitors annually by 2030, framing tourism as both an economic driver and a tool for global connectivity and cultural exchange. Later in the programme, he joined a high-level discussion examining the next phase of growth for the sector.
Changing travel demand patterns, destination competitiveness, and the future of tourism workforce development were among the central themes explored during several sessions held as part of the programme.
One of the key discussions, titled “The New Geography of Travel Demand”, examined how both traditional and emerging destinations are positioning themselves to capture growing global travel demand amid accelerating tourism recovery and shifting traveller expectations.
During the discussion, Ahmed Ghoneim, the GEM’s CEO, highlighted the resilience of Egypt’s tourism sector and its ability to adapt to changing global conditions. Speaking about the GEM, he explained that while recent geopolitical and economic developments had led to a slight decline in visitor numbers, the museum’s management remained focused on delivering a balanced and sustainable visitor experience rather than prioritising volume alone.
Ghoneim also reflected on the broader significance of the GEM project, which took nearly 23 years to complete and has frequently been described as “Egypt’s gift to the world” and the “Fourth Pyramid”. While acknowledging the scale and uniqueness of the project, he suggested that future cultural developments in Egypt may increasingly focus on smaller, targeted projects capable of supporting sustainable tourism growth.
The programme featured another session titled “Culture, Talent, and the Human Side of Recovery”, which focused on the importance of human capital within the tourism industry, particularly the need to attract, retain, and develop skilled talent capable of supporting long-term sector growth.
Speakers emphasised that service quality, hospitality culture, and direct human interaction remain among the most important drivers of visitor satisfaction and destination competitiveness.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 14 May, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
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