ISTANBUL

Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy has called on Turkish investors to take a greater role in Egypt’s tourism sector, adding that his country can offer additional incentives “for projects that will make a positive contribution to our growth scenario and are implemented on a timetable aligned with our development plans.”

“We already offer incentives not only for Turkish investors but for all investors interested in building hotels or investing in tourism-related businesses. We are also willing to discuss additional incentives if such projects align with our targets,” Fathy told Anadolu during an event in Istanbul that brings together Turkish and Egyptian tourism professionals.

The Egyptian minister was in Istanbul on the sidelines of the Eastern Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Exhibition (EMITT) 2026.

“If an investor can deliver a project on a timeline that contributes positively to our growth scenario and is in line with our development plans, we are prepared to offer further incentives to those who demonstrate serious interest in investing in Egypt,” Fathy said.

Pointing out that the Turkish business community is already active in Egypt, particularly in industry, Fathy said there is not yet a similar interest in tourism.

Fathy said Egypt is ready to provide every possible facilitation for Turkish businesspeople who want to invest in Egypt’s tourism sector, adding: “We have very good relations with a Turkish brand operating in hotel management, and this brand is becoming increasingly popular in Egypt. We are pleased with this and would like to see such cooperation, including investment, increase further in the future.”

'I want more Egyptians to travel to Türkiye'

Fathy said Egypt exceeded its tourism targets in 2025, recording 21% growth and reaching 19 million tourists. For Türkiye specifically, he noted a 43% increase.

“Around 250,000 tourists from Egypt also visited Türkiye. My focus is always on developing business in both directions. I want to see more Turkish people and Turkish tourists coming to Egypt and more Egyptians traveling to and visiting Türkiye. In my view, this two-way flow is the only way to ensure a sustainable tourism model, including airline operations and strong connectivity between our two countries.”

He said Egypt is targeting around 10% growth this year as well and expects at least a 25% increase in the number of tourists coming from Türkiye.

Stating that Turkish tourist numbers have not yet reached desired levels, Fathy said Egypt attaches “great importance to tourists from Türkiye” and is also trying to increase the number of tourists traveling from Egypt to Türkiye.

Fathy noted that awareness among Turkish tourists and tour operators of Egypt’s tourism potential and diversity has increased over the past year.

“Turkish tour operators have become more aware of what Egypt can offer in terms of diversified tourism products and different combinations of destinations. We are also seeing growing demand from the Turkish market for Nile cruises, as well as a rise in cultural tourism, particularly to the Grand Egyptian Museum and the Pyramids area,” he said.

'We need to increase seat capacity on existing routes'

Emphasizing that lasting growth in tourism can only be achieved through joint efforts, Fathy said both countries need to act together to further boost their mutual tourism potential.

Highlighting the importance of coordination between governments and the private sector, he pointed to possible steps to take to boost the potential.

“By working together at both government and private-sector levels, we should invite influencers from both sides to promote our tourist attractions, new combinations we can offer visitors, and new products. I believe these are the joint efforts we need to focus on with our Turkish partners, both public and private.”

Fathy said feedback from Turkish tourists has been largely positive.

“This means they are likely to return or to spread positive word of mouth, bringing more visitors. Feedback from tour operators is also extremely encouraging and indicates that this growth will continue,” he said.

He added that, while Türkiye’s tourism potential is known in Egypt, promotional activities need to be stepped up, and that air connectivity between the two countries is insufficient to meet the growing demand.

Noting that limited flight capacity constrains growth in both directions, Fathy said both Egypt and Türkiye need to take steps, concluding: “We are looking at an estimated 20% to 25% increase in seat capacity. However, this will not be sufficient. We need to add more flights and increase capacity on existing routes.

"This requires joint efforts from both Egyptian and Turkish airlines, and we need to sustain this growth over the next five years to meet the demand we are targeting. So yes, we will see growth, but it will not be enough unless we work harder to add more flights on routes between Egypt and Türkiye.”