Egypt has launched a new digital tourism campaign targeting Arab markets, part of a broader effort to position itself as a leading regional tourism destination. The campaign, launched in partnership with WEGO—one of the Middle East’s top travel booking platforms—is spearheaded by the Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA) and will run until June 2026, according to a statement by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
The initiative, part of the international “Egypt… A Unique Blend” campaign, aims to generate over 500,000 bookings and attract more than one million visitors by leveraging peak travel periods such as holidays and festivals.
According to ETA Director General Suzan Mostafa, the campaign involves “a comprehensive media plan” that includes bilingual advertisements in Arabic and English across YouTube, Google Search, and smart out-of-home (OOH) placements in cinemas and malls in key Arab markets.
EGP 50B hotel expansion program
The digital campaign comes on the heels of a wider state-led effort to strengthen the tourism sector—one of Egypt’s most critical sources of foreign currency and employment. In July 2024, the Egyptian Cabinet approved a financing initiative worth EGP 50 billion to boost hotel capacity in key tourist destinations including Luxor, Aswan, the Red Sea, and South Sinai.
Funded by the Ministry of Finance, the initiative offers subsidized loans at a declining interest rate of 12%, with a credit cap of EGP 1–2 billion per company. The program is designed to address surging demand and expand accommodation capacity ahead of the summer 2026 season.
Strong recovery momentum
These efforts are taking place within a broader global context of tourism recovery. According to the UN World Tourism Organization, international tourist arrivals rose by 5% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 3%. Regions such as Africa and Southern Europe are driving the rebound.
Egypt appears to be outpacing this trend. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy announced that Egypt welcomed 8.7 million tourists in the first half of 2025, a 24% increase over the same period in 2024. In the first quarter alone, arrivals grew 25% year-on-year to 3.9 million. The figures build on a record-breaking 2024, when 15.8 million visitors came to Egypt.
Workforce development takes priority
As Egypt targets 30 million tourists annually by 2028, the government is also emphasizing workforce development and service quality in the sector. Minister Fathy recently announced new partnerships between the Ministry, the Egyptian Chamber of Hotel Establishments, Lobster Ink, and Sommet Education.
The initiatives include a national digital training platform offering 250 courses to 80,000 hotel workers over three years—free of charge—and expanded access to globally recognized academic programs through institutions such as Glion and Les Roches. The goal is to improve industry-wide standards and ensure Egypt’s competitiveness in global tourism.
2024: A record year for tourism
Earlier this year, the Cabinet reported record tourism performance in 2024. According to Minister Fathy, the country received 15.78 million visitors, with 8.7 million arriving in the first half of the fiscal year alone. Average hotel occupancy reached 69% in December 2024, up 25% from the previous year. Major tourism hubs such as the Red Sea and South Sinai recorded occupancy rates exceeding 75%.
Germany, Russia, and Saudi Arabia ranked among Egypt’s top source markets, and officials attributed the strong performance to enhanced safety, marketing efforts, and investment in tourism infrastructure.
A bid for regional tourism leadership
Egypt’s latest moves come amid intensifying regional competition for tourist inflows. With major events, a surge in new hotel openings, and increased airline connectivity across the Middle East, Egypt is betting on its heritage, affordability, and reform agenda to stand out.
The combination of digital outreach, infrastructure investment, and upskilling of the tourism workforce reflects a strategic shift toward sustainable, inclusive growth.
