ETA

Cairo is transforming into a long weekend hotspot with the new City Break initiative, announced H.E. Ahmed Issa, the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt at ITB Berlin 2024.

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Cairo City Break Program and A New Era of Luxury Tourism

The new Cairo City Break program is aimed at transforming the capital into a dynamic, must-visit long weekend destination. The visitors will have the opportunity to explore many tourist and archaeological sites by offering diverse and varied tourist experiences encompassing various historical and cultural places, whether Pharaonic, Coptic, or Islamic.

This will contribute to increasing the number of tourist nights spent in Cairo from an average of three to four days to 12 days.

“There is no other city that can offer visitors monuments from every great civilization starting from 3500 B.C. We are dedicated to turning Cairo into a destination that can be enjoyed over the span of multiple visits or a long weekend,” stated the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, H.E. Ahmed Issa.

Egypt has also been actively developing emerging destinations and elevating traveler's experience at archaeological sites by introducing new destinations and improved, faster, and environmentally friendly ways of commute to key destinations such as Luxor. For instance, in Q4 2025/Q1 2026 Hurghada and Luxor will be connected by a high-speed train.

A Transformative Reform and Infrastructure Development

Egypt's tourism industry is undergoing a transformative reform towards deregulation, paving the way for new investors, and redefining the relationship between the government and the private sector. In tandem with the reform, Egypt’s strategic deregulation efforts and the allocation of 22% of GDP to infrastructure development over the past seven years are paying off, demonstrating a strong commitment to boosting the country's global tourism reputation. The aim is to double Egypt's hotel capacity to 60,000 rooms within the next five years.

Record-Breaking Tourism Results and Main Travel Trends

Egypt witnessed an extraordinary surge in tourism during 2023, with a record 14.906 million visitors gracing its shores — an exponential increase from the 4.9 million recorded in 2021.

This upward trend is expected to continue in 2024, with a remarkable 8% year-on-year growth in the first 50 days of the year. Most visitors come from Germany, with 1.6 million tourists recorded last year, followed by Russia, Saudi Arabia, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

About the Egyptian Tourism Authority

Established in 1981, the Egyptian Tourism Authority is dedicated to promoting Egypt's vast historical assets and diverse destinations, fostering domestic tourism, and connecting Egyptians with their rich heritage. Under the leadership of the Minister of Tourism, the Egyptian Tourism Authority spearheads marketing strategies, supports tourism development, and sponsors various events to enhance Egypt's tourism industry.

For more information, visit Experience Egypt.

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