Egypt sees record 19 million tourists in 2025, up 21 pct

CAIRO, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Egypt received a record of nearly 19 million tourists in 2025, up 21 percent from the previous year, Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said on Saturday.

Fathy attributed the increase to security and stability, a clear development strategy, and efforts to diversify tourism products and improve service quality.

Cairo, Hurghada, Sharm El-Sheikh, and Marsa Alam were the country's busiest airports, reflecting the geographical spread of Egypt's attractions, he said, adding that tourist flights arrived from 193 cities worldwide.

Charter flight traffic rose 32 percent in 2025, with New Alamein City emerging as a fast-growing destination after a 450 percent surge in charter flights.

Tourism is a key source of foreign currency for Egypt, alongside remittances, Suez Canal revenues and exports. The sector has continued to recover after generating 15.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2024 from 15.7 million visitors. ■