Number of tourist arrivals Egypt 2010-2020

In 2020, the number of overnight and same-day visitor arrivals in Egypt amounted to about 3.7 million, down from 13 million in the previous year. 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

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020, Egypt led Africa in tourist arrivals with 3.7 million visitors. In 2019, the country ranked second to Morocco, which registered around 12.9 million tourists. In fact, both countries held leading positions in terms of international tourism receipts. In 2021, inbound tourism expenditure in Egypt reached around nine billion U.S. dollars, while that of Morocco added up to 3.81 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 2020, around 2.3 million European visitors visited Egypt, the highest number compared to other regions, although it decreased from over 8.3 million visitors in the previous year. Furthermore, as of 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.