To strengthen Egypt’s sports tourism offering, the Egyptian Tourism Authority sponsored the 2026 Open Water Swimming World Cup, a round of the World Aquatics World Cup series, alongside the 2026 Egypt Equestrian Cup in Soma Bay, Red Sea Governorate.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said the ministry’s sponsorship forms part of its strategy to diversify Egypt’s tourism product under the slogan “Egypt: Unmatched Diversity”. He highlighted sports tourism’s ability to attract new visitor segments and showcase Egyptian destinations as capable hosts of major international events.
He stressed the importance of cooperation between government bodies, the private sector and sports federations to organise highly professional events that reflect Egypt’s civilisation and strengthen its position on the global tourism map.
Dr Ahmed Youssef, chief executive of the authority, said its sponsorship reflects a commitment to supporting sporting and tourism events that promote Egypt and boost inbound tourism. Egypt’s diverse assets qualify it to host major international and regional events, he said. Holding these championships in one of its leading tourism destinations sends a clear message about Egypt’s safety, stability and ability to organise international events to a high professional standard.
The 2026 Open Water Swimming World Cup was held in cooperation with Abu Soma Tourism Development Company. This year it brought together 30 national federations from five continents and 124 athletes, alongside technical and administrative officials and international referees. Held for the fourth consecutive year at Soma Bay Marina on the Red Sea coast, its programme included men’s and women’s 10 km races and a mixed team relay.
The 2026 Egypt Equestrian Cup, held with Abu Soma Tourism Development Company in partnership with the Egyptian Equestrian Federation, is among the country’s leading accredited national equestrian competitions. It featured a selection of top Egyptian riders and clubs, with organisational and professional standards meeting the federation’s requirements, reflecting the continued development of specialist sporting events in Egypt.
