Egypt's Tourism Income Reached Highest Share of GDP in a Decade

Egypt’s tourism sector accounted for 3.7% of the country’s GDP during fiscal year 2024/25, marking its highest contribution of the decade, according to the Information and Decision Support Center.

The figure increased from 3.4% a year earlier, supported by higher tourism revenues and a rise in tourist nights across the country.

The centre reported that tourist nights grew by 16.4% year-on-year to reach 179.3 million. According to data from the Central Bank of Egypt, tourism revenues rose by 56.1% to USD 16.7 billion in the fiscal year ending June 30th, recording the sector’s highest revenue level in seven years.

The growth continued into the first half of fiscal 2025/26, with tourism revenues reaching USD 10.2 billion, compared to USD 8.7 billion during the same period a year earlier, reflecting a 17.3% increase. Egypt also received nearly 19 million tourists in 2025, marking a 21% rise compared to 2024 figures.

The government is targeting 30 million annual visitors by 2030 as part of broader efforts to expand tourism’s contribution to the economy and foreign currency inflows.

Research firm Fitch Solutions expects Egypt to receive 18.6 million tourists in 2026, with visitor numbers projected to reach 20.7 million by 2029. Tourism revenues are forecast to climb to USD 19 billion during the same year.

Official indicators showed Egypt had around 1,300 hotels nationwide by the end of 2025, alongside 2,240 tourism companies and more than 17,000 tourist vehicles operating across the sector.

The report also highlighted growing activity within Egypt’s cultural tourism sector. Archaeological discoveries more than doubled in 2023, rising to 115 discoveries from 57 a year earlier.

Egypt ranked 61st out of 119 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Travel and Tourism Development Index, improving from 66th place in 2019. Meanwhile, Bloom Consulting named Egypt Africa’s top tourism destination for the third consecutive year in its 2024/25 National Brand Index.