Number of tourist arrivals Egypt 2010-2022

In 2022, the number of tourist arrivals in Egypt amounted to about 11.7 million, up from around eight million in the previous year. In 2020, tourist arrivals were at its lowest, at 3.62 million. The significant drop was mainly due to travel restrictions implemented due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Within the period under review, two major declines in arrivals can be recognized, one in 2016 and the other in 2020. In 2015, a Russian plane crashed in the Sinai Peninsula, significantly leading to the drop in 2016.

Egypt as a top tourist spot on the continent

Since 2020, Egypt has been leading Africa in tourist arrivals. In 2019, the country ranked second to Morocco, which registered over 12.9 million tourists. In fact, both countries held leading positions in terms of international tourism receipts. In 2022, inbound tourism expenditure reached around 12.2 billion U.S. dollars, while that of Morocco added up to nine billion U.S. dollars. Overall, according to the travel and tourism competitiveness index, Egypt is the highest-ranking African country in terms of its attractiveness in tourism sector development.

A popular destination for Europeans

Egypt is a globally famous tourist site, mainly for Europeans. In 2022, around 7.3 million European visitors visited Egypt, the highest number compared to other regions. Furthermore, as of the latest data in 2019, the country had almost 202,430 hotel rooms to accommodate tourists. That year, the occupancy rate for the rooms stood at over 62 percent.