In a positive step to strengthen Egypt's tourist transport fleet in the face of growing demand for visits to Egyptian tourist destinations, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Chamber of Travel and Tourism Companies and Agencies agreed to clarify the facilities and benefits included in the ministerial decrees and laws regulating the licensing of tourist vehicles, which help strengthen tourist transport at tourism companies.
The agreement revealed several legal facilities, and the chamber notified companies to start applying them. This came in light of the continuous coordination and constructive cooperation supported by Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy between the ministry, represented by the Companies Sector headed by Assistant Minister Samia Samy, and the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Tourism Companies headed by its Chairman, Dr. Nader El-Beblawy. It aims to look after the interests of tourism companies, advance the tourism industry and encourage tourism companies to renew their fleets of tourist vehicles, "locally made, and imported with fees paid."
The chamber issued Circular No. (189) of 2025 to define the mechanisms for licensing tourist vehicles, in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the General Traffic Department, and in accordance with the provisions of Traffic Law No. 66 of 1973 and its executive regulations.
The circular stated that an agreement was reached with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on clarifying the mechanism for tourism companies to bring in and license vehicles to work in tourist transport and limousine services, and the procedures followed in light of Ministerial Decree No. 661 of 2016, as follows:
First: New Vehicles (Locally Made / Fees Paid) Not Previously Licensed
7 seats or fewer (model within 3 years, including the year of manufacture)
8 seats or more (model within 5 years, including the year of manufacture)
Second: New Imported Vehicles Not Previously Licensed
7 seats or fewer (current-year model)
8 seats or more (model within 5 years, including the year of manufacture)
Third: Used Imported Vehicles
7 seats or fewer (not permitted)
8 seats or more (one year besides the year of production)
This is in accordance with Traffic Law No. 66 of 1973 and its executive regulations and their amendments, for locally assembled vehicles and vehicles with customs duties fully paid, and the import regulations issued by Ministerial Decree No. 770 of 2005 by the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, as well as Customs Law No. 207 of 2020.
Mohannad Flifel, head of the chamber's Tourist Transport Committee, affirmed that these clarifications and facilities had been a key demand of companies and that most of them had been met. Flifel thanked the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for his attention and constant efforts to serve the interests of tourism companies and enable them to increase tourist flows to Egypt, noting that there was great cooperation from Samia Samy, Assistant Minister for Companies Affairs, who was keen to reach the above clarifications.
Flifel added that these facilities are of great importance in light of the shortage the tourist transport sector has faced for years, despite its importance for the smooth flow and movement of tourists within all tourist destinations, and that they come in full compliance with all laws and ministerial decrees and contribute to raising the quality of services provided to tourists. He explained that the chamber's board is making several other important moves to find more solutions to the problem of tourist transport in Egypt.
