Egypt is known as a beacon of history, art, architecture, and culture. The city of Luxor is often referred to as the world’s greatest open-air museum, housing one-third of the world’s most awe-inspiring ancient monuments. From the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx to the temples of Luxor, Karnak, Edfu, Hatshepsut, Philae, Abu Simbel, and Dandara, as well as the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, there are also countless magnificent archaeological sites spread across one million square kilometers, offering a glimpse of Egypt’s history during the Greeks, Romans, Mamluks, and Ottomans and representing chapters in human history–an essential part of the allure and grandeur of the cultural heritage of one of the world’s oldest and richest civilizations.
When people think of Egypt–which Greek Historian Herodotus labeled “The gift of the Nile”– they often picture the Great Pyramids of Giza, the River Nile, and the ancient monuments in Upper Egypt. However, Egypt’s rich history, spanning over 5000 years, offers an immensely diverse range of tourist attractions, including cultural, historical, educational, health, wellness, religious, recreational, family, desert, adventure, maritime, diving, and culinary experiences. Together, these attractions make Egypt one of the most appealing tourist destinations in the world.
These attractions showcase over 135 pyramids, starting with the Step Pyramid of Djoser, which is the earliest colossal stone building in Egypt. The country also boasts over 3000 kilometers of scenic beaches along the Mediterranean and Red Seas, as well as the Gulf of Suez and Aqaba. Remarkable locations include Alexandria, Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Dahab, El-Gouna, Sharm El-Sheikh, El-Ein El-Sokhna, and the natural beauty of desert spots such as El-Wahat, Siwa, and El-Fayoum. Additionally, Egypt features religious sites like the mosques of Amr Ibn Al-Aas, Al-Azhar, Sultan Hassan, Ahmad Ibn Tulun, Al-Hakim, and Mohammed Ali, along with churches like Saints Sergius and Bacchus, the Virgin Mary “The Hanging Church,” and St. George, as well as synagogues such as Ben Ezra and Eliahu Hanav.
The history and culture of Egypt are deeply interwoven into the fabric of everyday life. From palaces, citadels, houses, buildings, and castles to street markets, bazaars, alleys, and gardens enriched with rare trees, valleys, dunes, cruises, and traditional crafts, Egypt is rich with historical and cultural landmarks. With 81 museums already in place, Egypt will soon be home to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the largest archaeological museum in the world. Situated on 120 acres at the foot of the Great Pyramids, the GEM will house thousands of artifacts from Egypt’s ancient civilization, solidifying the country’s position on the global tourism map. Notable sites also include the flight into Egypt of Jesus and the holy family, as well as Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.
History and culture are precious gifts that must be preserved in all their aspects. As the saying goes, “Old is gold,” and the ancient quarters or “vieux quartiers/vielles villes” anywhere in the world usually attract tourists. Egypt needs to strike a balance between modernity and reverence for its past, providing an immersive experience that seamlessly connects its traditions and heritage with its modern lifestyle. This will create a bridge between the past and the present, ensuring that Egypt’s cultural heritage remains an integral part of its identity and a timeless attraction for tourists from around the world.
Tourism has the potential to be a key driver of Egypt’s economy. While it already plays a crucial role, there is room for significant growth. The tourism and hospitality industry could not only support the economy but also be its guardian and contribute to the preservation of Egypt’s historical legacy by funding restoration and preservation projects. Furthermore, it can promote sustainable tourism by implementing eco-friendly practices to safeguard its heritage for future generations.
The tourism and hospitality industry has made significant progress in recent years. In 2023, Egypt saw a record-breaking 14.9 million tourists, surpassing the 14.7 million visitors in 2010. According to the Central Bank of Egypt, tourism revenues in 2023 reached $13.60 billion, a nearly 27% increase from 2022 when revenues were $10.70 billion. In 2023, tourism revenues accounted for around 24% of GDP and 40% of non-commodity exports and created approximately 2.6 million jobs, taking the workforce employed by the industry to 11%.
In recent years, there have been extensive efforts to develop a national strategy by the government of Egypt. The strategy focuses on institutional and legislative reform to protect antiquities, establish avenues for supporting and funding their preservation, regulate licensing, and promote investment opportunities. It aims to enhance the country’s competitiveness as a tourist destination and create an enabling environment by expanding and modernizing infrastructure, offering capacity-building programs, and increasing revenues by targeting diverse tourist segments. This will be achieved through global promotional campaigns, hosting major exhibitions and events, leveraging technology, and promoting eco-tourism. The ultimate goal of the strategy is to attract 30 million tourists to Egypt by 2028.
Several questions come to mind. Should the annual target be set at 30 million tourists? Can Egypt do more? Does it have the potential to do more? How can Egypt, not just double but maybe even triple its current tourist traffic? Where to start? What needs to be done to attract more tourists? What should be the priority? Is it the institutional and legislative environment, or is it the infrastructure with all its components, including the number and capacity of airports, the availability of hotel rooms across the country, and the expansion and improvement of different transportation facilities, not just in Cairo? The answer to all these questions is yes, but there is more to it.
The more important question is: what needs to change in how we approach the tourism and hospitality industry to encourage repeat tourists? Egypt should never be a one-time destination. More tourists should return and share their experiences with family, friends, and others to inspire them to visit. So, what is missing? What needs to change? What needs improvement?
In my opinion, the key differentiator and most important factor for making Egypt a top tourist destination worldwide is significantly improving the overall tourist experience. This can be achieved by providing excellent service and enforcing high-quality standards across all touchpoints––from the minute the tourist arrives at the airport, going to the hotel, throughout their stay, their transportation, tours, and visits to the different sites, walking down the street, eating at a restaurant, and all the way to the airport on their way back home.
This important aspect requires nationwide campaigns not only to increase local awareness about the significance of tourism and hospitality in Egypt but, more importantly, to involve local communities in restoration and preservation projects. This will help turn them into stewards of their history and culture, which represent Egypt’s most precious and unique assets. On a different note, Egypt is safe for everyone, but the global perception is different. Therefore, there is a need to make all efforts to ensure a safe environment in a more subtle and effective manner, which will be crucial in countering some of the false perceptions about safety in Egypt and will support tourism growth.
In March 2024, a roundtable discussion took place at this year’s edition of the AUC Business Forum. The discussion was titled “Beyond the Pyramids: Crafting a Sustainable Future for Hospitality and Tourism Management in Egypt.” This roundtable brought together industry experts, government officials, and key stakeholders to explore strategies for promoting sustainable growth in the hospitality and tourism sector. The participants identified challenges and shared best practices from Egypt and the UK in eco-tourism, cultural preservation, community engagement, and responsible resource management. They also made actionable recommendations to enhance the country’s position as a premier tourist destination while ensuring environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
During the roundtable, participants addressed the importance of leveraging innovative technologies like artificial intelligence to create mobile apps, interactive maps, and online booking systems for tourists. These tools are essential in today’s digital age. They also focused on improving tourist satisfaction and engagement by offering 24/7 multilingual support through call centers, utilizing data analytics to enhance their experience, and launching global marketing campaigns to promote Egypt’s diverse attractions. Additionally, they discussed the need to improve accessibility to Egypt by enhancing international flight connectivity, simplifying visa processes with eVisas, and improving transportation between different sites. On this note, can Cairo have hop-on, hop-off tour buses? Why not, that too can enhance the tourist experience!
Egypt is blessed with moderate weather year-round and a wealth of historical and cultural heritage. A comprehensive, service-oriented tourism and hospitality ecosystem is needed. It can leverage the inviting spirit and kindness of Egyptians while placing a focus on investing in talent through awareness campaigns, academic programs, and lifelong learning initiatives. These programs should cater to the industry’s evolving needs, emphasizing the significance of tourism for Egypt, hospitality management, cultural sensitivity, and language skills. Egypt should create a portfolio of unique products to attract more tourists who can stay longer, have unique experiences, and enjoy a much better service that matches international standards. Those tourists will become ambassadors for Egypt, leading to more repeat visitors and increased revenue that can help grow the industry. The strategy should prioritize the quality of the tourist experience over the sheer number of tourists.
The future looks promising. To rejuvenate the Land of the Pharaohs, there needs to be a renewed commitment and call to action from all parties, stressing the significance of collaboration between the government, local businesses, international travel partners, influencers, and associations. The aim is to work together towards an ambitious yet achievable vision of transforming Egypt into a grand open museum and one of the most sought-after tourist destinations globally, drawing in over 50 million tourists annually.
To achieve this vision, it is essential to create an enabling environment and implement a personalized, homemade Egypt-centric approach to tourism. This approach should leverage the country’s diverse range of offerings and provide unique, memorable experiences that are both valuable and affordable.
About the author: Sherif Kamel is a Professor of Management and Dean of the School of Business at The American University in Cairo.
30 June 2024
Issue #41
A great article which inspires all to achieve ambitious but realizable goals. However what is needed now is to have time plans for the components of an integrated program. Supervision of progress in implementation should be clearly identified