Egypt Poised to Hit 18 Million Tourists as Grand Museum Opens
With a 21 percent increase in tourists during the first nine months of 2025, Egypt is on track to meet its end-of-year target of 18 million visitors.
Egypt has welcomed 15 million tourists in the first nine months of 2025, marking a 21 percent increase compared with the same period last year.
The Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, expressed optimism that the country will reach its target of 17.5 to 18 million tourists by the end of the year.
Additionally, tourism revenues have risen by nearly 18 percent.
Tourist arrivals were 8.7 million in the first half of the year and rose to 12.8 million by the end of August, reaching approximately 15 million by September's end.
Fathy highlighted that tourism remains a crucial source of foreign exchange for Egypt.
In 2024, the country set a record with 15.78 million tourists.
The government has unveiled a national tourism strategy aimed at attracting 30 million visitors by 2028 through increasing capacity and enhancing visitor experiences.
Fathy emphasized Egypt's unparalleled diversity in tourism offerings.
Despite not providing specific figures for tourism revenues in the first nine months of 2025, Central Bank of Egypt data indicated a 9 percent year-on-year increase to $15.3 billion in 2024.
With the Grand Egyptian Museum set to fully open in early November, visitor numbers are expected to triple from the current 5,000 to 6,000 daily visitors.
Spanning 120 acres and housing approximately 100,000 artifacts including items from King Tutankhamun's tomb, the museum is projected to attract around 5 million annual visitors.
Beyond established attractions, Egypt continues to discover new archaeological sites that hold potential to boost tourism further.
In June, authorities announced the discovery of the ancient city of Emet in Sharqia governorate following excavations by a British team from the University of Manchester.
The site revealed residential buildings dating back to the early or mid-fourth century BC and other notable artifacts such as a finely crafted green faience ushabti statue from the 26th Dynasty, a stone stela depicting Horus, and a bronze sistrum adorned with Hathor heads from the Late Period.
These discoveries underscore Egypt's rich archaeological heritage, providing new attractions for cultural tourism and supporting the country’s broader strategy to bolster its tourism sector.
The Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, expressed optimism that the country will reach its target of 17.5 to 18 million tourists by the end of the year.
Additionally, tourism revenues have risen by nearly 18 percent.
Tourist arrivals were 8.7 million in the first half of the year and rose to 12.8 million by the end of August, reaching approximately 15 million by September's end.
Fathy highlighted that tourism remains a crucial source of foreign exchange for Egypt.
In 2024, the country set a record with 15.78 million tourists.
The government has unveiled a national tourism strategy aimed at attracting 30 million visitors by 2028 through increasing capacity and enhancing visitor experiences.
Fathy emphasized Egypt's unparalleled diversity in tourism offerings.
Despite not providing specific figures for tourism revenues in the first nine months of 2025, Central Bank of Egypt data indicated a 9 percent year-on-year increase to $15.3 billion in 2024.
With the Grand Egyptian Museum set to fully open in early November, visitor numbers are expected to triple from the current 5,000 to 6,000 daily visitors.
Spanning 120 acres and housing approximately 100,000 artifacts including items from King Tutankhamun's tomb, the museum is projected to attract around 5 million annual visitors.
Beyond established attractions, Egypt continues to discover new archaeological sites that hold potential to boost tourism further.
In June, authorities announced the discovery of the ancient city of Emet in Sharqia governorate following excavations by a British team from the University of Manchester.
The site revealed residential buildings dating back to the early or mid-fourth century BC and other notable artifacts such as a finely crafted green faience ushabti statue from the 26th Dynasty, a stone stela depicting Horus, and a bronze sistrum adorned with Hathor heads from the Late Period.
These discoveries underscore Egypt's rich archaeological heritage, providing new attractions for cultural tourism and supporting the country’s broader strategy to bolster its tourism sector.
