German Tourism to Egypt Reaches One Million by the End of October... and Ukrainian Tourism Rebounds the Most

525,000 European Tourists Visited the Egyptian Destination Last October, Up 89%

Italian Tourism Doubles... and Polish Tourism Posts the Highest Growth Among Europe's Top Ten

Marked Recovery in Major European Markets, Especially the Czech Republic... and Promising Markets Led by Switzerland and Romania

Russia Records Its Best Monthly Arrivals Since November 2015

By Akram Medhat

Egyptian tourist cities received about 525,000 tourists from the European continent last October, up 89% on the same month of 2016, accounting for about 64% of the total number of tourists arriving in Egypt, which reached 826,000.

Tourist nights spent by Europeans in Egypt reached about 4.3 million last October, an increase of 153% compared with the number of nights in October 2016.

Ten-Month Total

Tourism statistics obtained exclusively by "Travel Yalla News" revealed that the total number of tourists arriving from Europe in Egypt during the first ten months of 2017 reached 3.7 million, up 84% on the same period of 2016, spending about 34 million tourist nights, an increase of 198%.

Despite this strong, marked improvement and the trend of tourism in Egypt toward recovery, the rate of European arrivals is still far from the figures achieved in the same period of 2015, before the Russian plane crisis, when 6.2 million European tourists were recorded.

Germany and the Million Journey... Unrivaled Lead

German tourism recorded 139,000 arrivals last October, up 97% on the same month of 2016, spending 1.3 million tourist nights, an increase of 109%, exceeding the 2015 rate, when October recorded 112,000 German tourists.

In the total for the first 10 months of 2017, the Germans led the way in approaching one million tourists to Egypt, with 975,000 Germans arriving from January to the end of last October, up 92% on the same period last year, topping inbound tourism to Egypt without rival. The tourist nights they spent reached 10 million, an increase of 149%. Germany thus comfortably exceeded the numbers for the same period of 2015, before the Russian plane crisis, which recorded 848,000 tourists.

Ukraine came second in Europe and worldwide in arrivals to Egypt, recording 91,000 tourists last October, up 86% on the same month of 2016, spending 540,000 tourist nights, an increase of 238%, more than double the Ukrainian turnout in October 2015, which was only 40,000 tourists.

Ukrainian tourism to Egypt recorded 581,000 arrivals from January to October 2017, up 111% on the same period of 2016, spending 4.1 million tourist nights, an increase of 295%, confirming its strength among the main markets compensating for the absence of other nationalities and continuing the surge it has achieved compared with before the Russian plane crisis in 2015, when 277,000 Ukrainian tourists arrived in 10 months.

The British Defy the Ban

As for British tourism, despite the continued flight ban to their top destination, Sharm El-Sheikh, it still maintains its strength, ranking third in Europe and fourth worldwide, recording 34,000 arrivals in October, up 70%, spending 340,000 tourist nights, an increase of 95%.

The British recorded 260,000 tourist arrivals to Egypt during the first 10 months of 2017, up 35% on the same period of 2016, and the tourist nights they spent reached 2.9 million, an increase of 89%.

Strong Competition Among Major European Markets

Italian tourism made a strong comeback last October, recording double the rate of the same month last year, with 26,000 arrivals, up 100%, spending 250,000 tourist nights, an increase of 164%, ranking sixth on the list of source markets for tourism to Egypt worldwide.

In the total for the first 10 months of 2017, Italians recorded 212,000 arrivals, up 101% on 2016, spending 2.4 million tourist nights, an increase of 287%.

The Czech Republic ranked sixth in Europe in Egypt, with 23,000 Czech tourists arriving last October, up 71%, spending 241,000 tourist nights, an increase of 116% over October 2016.

Czech tourism recorded 184,000 arrivals in the ten-month total, up 134%, ranking ninth on the list of major tourist markets arriving in Egypt from around the world.

Polish tourism to Egypt also recorded the highest growth rate among the major European markets last October, at 165%, with 16,000 Polish tourists arriving, spending 154,000 tourist nights, an increase of 321%. In the total for the first 10 months of 2017, it recorded 145,000 tourists, up 166% on the same period of 2016.

French and Dutch Tourism... A Parallel Race

French tourism to Egypt reached 17,000 tourists last October, up 69%, spending 135,000 tourist nights, an increase of 131%.

From January to the end of October 2017, the French recorded 125,000 arrivals, up 47% on the same period of 2016.

The Netherlands entered the list of fastest-rising markets to become one of the major ones, recording 15,000 Dutch tourists last October, up 91%, spending 154,000 tourist nights, an increase of 103% over October 2016.

In the total for the first ten months of 2017, Dutch tourism to Egypt is approaching French tourism, with 122,000 Dutch tourists, up 87% compared with 2016.

Activity in Promising Markets

On another note, some European markets saw a big rise and marked demand for the Egyptian destination last October, most notably Switzerland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.

Switzerland topped the list with 12,000 Swiss tourists arriving in Egypt, up 84% on October 2016, spending 130,000 tourist nights, an increase of 251%. In the total for the first ten months of 2017, Swiss tourism recorded 61,000 tourists, up 65% on 2016.

Hungary emerged to compete among the promising markets, with 5,540 tourists arriving last October, up 124%, spending 41,000 tourist nights, an increase of 415%. In the total for the first 10 months of 2017, about 33,000 Hungarian tourists visited Egypt, up 155% on 2016.

Romania was among the promising markets with the highest growth rate in inbound tourism last October, at 218%, recording 4,630 tourists who spent 41,000 tourist nights, an 837% increase compared with October 2016. In the total for the first 10 months of 2017, 24,000 tourists arrived from Romania, up 141% on the same period last year.

The Russians and the Start of Winter

Despite the continued complete halt of Russian flights to all Egyptian airports, tourism statistics record a movement of Russian tourists, albeit weak and not comparable with the normal rates of this important market, which has seen increasing monthly rates, especially with the start of the snowy winter season there and their search for warm places.

Russian tourists recorded about 12,000 arrivals last October, up 100%, the highest monthly arrival rate so far since Russian tourism stopped two years ago, spending 108,000 tourist nights, a jump of 716%.

In the total for the first ten months of 2017, Russian tourism to Egypt recorded 71,000 arrivals, up 74% on the same period of 2016, spending 704,000 tourist nights, an increase of 316%.

Table showing the top European source markets for tourism to Egypt in October 2017 compared with the same month of 2016:

Read also:

Egypt Received 826,000 Tourists Last October, Up 63%... Making It the Best Month of 2017

Egypt's Tourism Revenue Reaches $717 Million Last October, Up 182%