Egypt seeks greater Turkish investment in booming tourism sector

2026-02-09 - 09:25

Minister Sherif Fathy extended the invitation during the EMITT 2026 tourism exhibition in Istanbul. He stated that Egypt is prepared to offer attractive incentives for serious projects that align with its national development plans. "We are willing to discuss additional incentives if such projects align with our targets," Fathy emphasized, highlighting a strategic focus on deepening economic ties with Türkiye. Building on strong bilateral foundations The minister noted that while the Turkish business community is active in Egyptian industry, its presence in tourism remains limited. He pointed to existing successful cooperation, such as with a popular Turkish hotel management brand, as a model for future partnerships. “We would like to see such cooperation, including investment, increase further,” Fathy said, underscoring Egypt's readiness to facilitate all necessary processes for Turkish entrepreneurs. Driving a two-way tourism flow A core part of the strategy is fostering reciprocal travel. Egypt welcomed 19 million tourists in 2025, exceeding its targets, with visitors from Türkiye showing particularly strong growth. Conversely, about 250,000 Egyptians visited Türkiye. “I want to see more Turkish people coming to Egypt and more Egyptians traveling to Türkiye. This two-way flow is the only way to ensure a sustainable tourism model,” Fathy explained. He aims for at least a 25% increase in Turkish arrivals this year. Addressing logistical challenges for sustained growth For this vision to materialize, Minister Fathy identified a critical bottleneck: air connectivity. He argued that current flight capacity is insufficient to meet rising demand. “We need to add more flights and increase capacity on existing routes,” he stated, calling for joint efforts between Egyptian and Turkish airlines to boost seat capacity by 20-25% and sustain this growth over the next five years. This collaboration is framed as essential for unlocking the full potential of tourism between the two nations.