Egypt’s tourism sector maintained its 2025 momentum in the first months of 2026, with international arrivals rising during the first quarter before falling slightly in April, according to figures released by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathi said that the number of international tourists increased by 15.6% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period of the previous year. The ministry separately estimated the number of arrivals in the first quarter at about 5.6 million, compared to about 3.9 million in the first quarter of 2025, with tourism revenue approaching $5.1 billion during the period from January to March, up from $3.8 billion in the previous year.
The first quarter gains came during a period of regional instability. The Iran war, which began in late February and escalated through March, disrupted air travel across much of the Middle East. Egypt kept its airspace open and EgyptAir continued to operate to most destinations, and several regional airlines redirected their flights through Egyptian airports. Fathi said that redirecting traffic contributed to the increase in the number of arrivals during the quarter.
This feature did not hold up into the spring. The minister said the number of arrivals in April fell by approximately 16 percent year-on-year, a decline he attributed to the same regional tensions that had previously favored Egypt. The result is the first four months of 2026 in which strong early growth is partially offset by a weaker April, leaving the period ahead. The result is a first four months of 2026 in which strong early growth was partly offset by a softer April, leaving the period ahead of last year overall but below the pace set in the first quarter alone.
Fathi acknowledged the headwinds directly, pointing to rising fuel prices and the decisions of some airlines to reduce the number of flights. In response, the Department updated its Aviation Incentives Program and introduced measures aimed at maintaining flight operations and protecting existing routes.
The 2026 numbers follow a record year. Egypt welcomed nearly 19 million tourists in 2025, a 21 percent increase from 2024 and the highest annual total ever. The government attributed this performance to the improved security situation, the weakness of the Egyptian pound, which reduced costs for foreign visitors, and the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza Plateau in November 2025. The museum, which houses the complete Tutankhamun collection, has become a key feature of Egypt’s cultural tourism offerings, and is expected to support longer stays and increased spending in the Cairo area.
For 2026, Egypt is targeting about 21 million arrivals, an increase of approximately 10.5% from 2025. The long-term goal remains 30 million visitors annually by 2030. Reaching these numbers will depend on factors that are only partly under the government’s control, including the stability of the broader region and the willingness of international airlines to maintain capacity at Egyptian airports.
Officials have framed the early 2026 data as evidence that the sector can absorb regional shocks while continuing to grow. The first four months tell a more divided story: a quarter in which Egypt benefited from being one of the few stable points in a turbulent region, followed by a month in which the same turmoil began to affect its bookings.