Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy stated that inbound tourism to Egypt achieved positive growth in the first quarter of 2026, with numbers rising by 7% compared with the first quarter of 2025.
Fathy revealed that April saw a limited 16% decline in tourist traffic, but this decrease remains lower than global rates, which range between 40% and 60% in some countries, stressing that the sector's overall performance remains positive over the year.
He explained in press statements today that the main challenges currently facing tourism are not related to demand, but to rising operating costs, especially in the aviation sector, due to higher global fuel prices, as well as problems with fuel availability and higher insurance costs, which have led some airlines to reduce or suspend flights.
He noted that there has been a change in tourist behavior, especially in Europe, where many are cutting spending and traveling shorter distances, such as to southern Europe, or using land transport instead of flying, which affects travel to relatively distant destinations.
In the same context, the minister stressed that Egypt continues to consolidate its position as a safe and distinctive tourist destination, despite regional challenges and global publicity that sometimes does not distinguish between countries in the region, stressing that the Egyptian destination enjoys a specific character and stability that attracts visitors.
The Minister of Tourism announced that Egypt will host an important international event of the World Travel & Tourism Council in the coming days, with the participation of top leaders of the global private sector and international media, which will be held for the first time aboard a cruise ship, a step aimed at promoting the Egyptian destination in an innovative way.
He explained that the ministry is working to develop tourism promotion strategies by increasing marketing allocations and adopting a modern identity that highlights the diversity of the Egyptian destination, as well as launching digital campaigns such as "Vibes of Egypt", which relies on content created by visitors of different nationalities in their own languages to show the tourism experience realistically.
He added that these efforts have already achieved positive results, as promotional campaigns recorded growth rates of up to 20% at the beginning of the year and around 24% last year, reflecting the success of the new strategy. This came in his statements today on the sidelines of the opening of the new solar power plant at the Grand Egyptian Museum.
