by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:55 AM ET, Mon March 18, 2024
Egypt is a land of ancient wonders and incredible culture, and it’s quickly becoming a popular destination for travelers of all kinds — check out new developments, quick figures and some important information on traveling to Egypt this year.
Fast Facts About Egypt’s Growing Travel & Tourism Industry
The Egyptian Tourism Authority reported it welcomed 15 million travelers in 2023, a large increase from the 4.9 million it welcomed just two years prior. It predicts its tourism arrivals to double by 2028, and the nearby conflict in Gaza and Israel has not stopped this growth at the beginning of 2024.
As American travelers continue looking to Egypt as a bucket-list destination, Europeans are seeking out the country more than ever. The majority of the travelers came from Germany, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Italy and the United Kingdom.
When it comes to tourism development, Egypt has an economic plan in place to double the country’s hotel room capacity to 60,000 within the next five years to accompany and encourage the predicted growth.
What’s New In Egypt?
If you’ve been wondering about whether or not you should travel to Egypt in recent years, chances are you’ve learned about the rise in popularity of Nile river cruises—river cruise lines such as AmaWaterways and Viking River Cruises have launched several ships to encourage more cruisers in Egypt, and they often visit some of the most iconic destinations along the Nile, making it a unique and comfortable way to visit Egypt.
Yet the country has been growing its travel offerings in other ways, too.
It’s been investing in restoring its ancient and cultural offerings. Each year, more historical artifacts are found, while recently, the Citadel of Saladin in Cairo, built in 1173, has been restored to its former glory. Old Cairo is also undergoing restorations that ensure the historic area will continue to enchant travelers for years.
Cairo has launched a new program to attract weekend travelers, called Cairo City Break, as the majority of travelers to the city generally spend three to four days in the city.
Travelers heading to the Pyramids of Giza will enjoy new shaded areas, a visitor center, new hotels and restaurants and hop-on style electric transportation. New photography spots ensure travelers will be able to get those iconic shots of the ancient wonders.
Perhaps the best new offering in Egypt is the opening of the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilization: The Grand Egyptian Museum. Some areas of the museum are already open, though the grand opening is expected later this year.
Additionally, the Graeco-Roman Museum in Alexandria will be reopening this year following eighteen years of restoration, offering 6,000 artifacts from Alexander the Great to the time of Cleopatra, offering a unique glimpse into Egypt’s past.
Celebrations, Holidays and New Openings
New hotels opening this year and the next include the Hyatt Centric Cairo West, which will open near the Grand Egyptian Museum early this year; the Mandarin Oriental Shepheard, formerly the historic Shepheard Hotel, will open this year; and the Four Seasons Hotel Luxor will open in 2025 with views of the Nile, the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens.
March 12 through April 12 is this year’s Ramadan period, culminating in the festival of Eid al-Fitr. Additionally, on May 6 is when Sham al-Nessim is held, which is a spring festival that includes picnics and gifts of painted eggs. The 5-day Sphinx Festival will be held in El Gouna this June. October 22 and April 22 are the two dates when the sun touches the monoliths inside Abu Simbel this year, celebrated as sun festivals.
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