Turkish airlines: A notable increase in the number of Turkish tourists arriving in Egypt, especially in Sharm El-Sheikh
Expectations of continued growth in 2026, especially with rising bookings at the start of this year
Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, held professional meetings during his visit to Istanbul, Turkey, to take part in the EMITT 2026 international tourism exhibition, with officials and representatives of some Turkish airlines, to discuss ways of strengthening joint cooperation to help increase inbound tourist traffic to Egypt from the markets in which these companies operate.
Fathy reviewed Egypt's most prominent new tourist destinations, especially the North Coast, New Alamein City and the Red Sea, noting the promising opportunities these destinations offer for opening new air routes, along with ambitious programs aimed at increasing the number of flights between Egypt and Turkey.
He pointed to the flight incentive programs offered by the ministry, which have contributed significantly to increasing the number of tourists arriving in Egypt, and also reviewed the incentive programs designed specifically for the summer season to increase flights to Luxor and Aswan, which was reflected in a large increase in the number of tourists arriving in the two cities last year. He called for studying the possibility of operating flights to Luxor and Aswan during the summer months and making use of the incentive programs the ministry offers in this regard.
Fathy explained that the tourism season in Egypt extends throughout the year, noting that last summer saw a large increase in the number of charter flights, with an increase of nearly 500% to Alamein, which received tourists from 106 different nationalities, 56% to Matrouh, 135% to Luxor and 175% to Aswan.
The Minister of Tourism pointed to the rise in the number of tourists arriving in Egypt from Turkey in 2025, with growth of about 43% compared with 2024, expecting this growth to continue in 2026.
The minister spoke about the diversity of the tourism assets and products that distinguish the Egyptian destination and are unmatched around the world, and the possibility they offer of combining multiple tourism experiences, noting the importance of cooperating with tour operators and travel companies in designing and promoting diverse tour programs, helping create opportunities to open new domestic air routes linking the various tourist destinations.
The minister stressed that the ministry pays special attention to attracting various segments of tourists, while working to offer specialized tourism services and products that meet the needs of high-spending segments.
For their part, airline officials reviewed the volume of their business to Egypt in 2025, noting a notable increase in the number of Turkish tourists arriving in Egypt during the same year, especially in Sharm El-Sheikh, and expecting this growth to continue in 2026, especially given growing demand in bookings at the start of the year. They also reviewed their operational plans for 2026.
They added that they operate flights to Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada, as well as Cairo, having recently added Alexandria to their network of destinations, pointing out that during the winter season flights are operated to Luxor and Marsa Alam, in addition to implementing promotional campaigns dedicated to Egypt, and expressing their hope to continue and strengthen cooperation with the ministry, especially in light of the great opportunities the Turkish market offers to increase the number of tourists arriving in Egypt.
