Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Some 4.9 million tourists visited Egypt in the first six months of 2022, an increase of 85.4 percent compared to 2.6 million travelers in the same period of 2021. Marking World Tourism Day, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) announced that “eight million tourists visited Egypt in 2021, a 117.5-per cent increase compared to 3.7 million in 2020.
According to the official reports, meanwhile, hotel occupancy during the first half of 2022 was 52.6 million nights, a 63.6 percent increase compared to 32.2 million nights in the first half of 2021.
“Rise in numbers of tourists visiting Egypt in 2021 and the first half of 2022 is a good indication of recovery after the COVID-19 that caused a sharp decline in numbers due to the policies of the lockdown imposed worldwide,” said Ashraf al-Sahah, member of Egyptian Tourism Federation.
The report further added that the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa said that the country aims to increase the number of foreign tourists by 25 to 30 percent annually and boost its revenues.
The Tourism Ministry plans to improve the quality of the tourism experience of every foreign tourist coming to Egypt, the investment environment in hotels and shopping malls, and the quality of services provided to tourists whether in airports, streets, or taxis. Also, most museums and archaeological sites, including the Giza Pyramids, were free for visitors to mark the day.
