Record growth in tourism and huge projects… new Egyptian steps towards sustainable tourism

Global and regional tourism in 2025 witnessed a noticeable recovery, with countries such as Egypt, Morocco and South Africa recording double-digit growth rates in the number of international visitors, reflecting the restoration of confidence in the sector after years of slowdown. In this context, the concept of sustainable tourism has become more important than ever, as it combines supporting the local economy, preserving cultural and environmental heritage, and providing an integrated tourism experience for citizens and visitors alike.

In Egypt, this vision is gaining a practical dimension through major projects such asThe Grand Egyptian Museum, which represents a global tourist attraction and enhances Egypt’s position as a cultural and civilizational center, while the International Day of Sustainable Tourism keeps pace with the country’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), from promoting sustainable cities to supporting innovation in tourism infrastructure.

Growth of global and regional tourism in 2025

Tourism in 2025 witnessed a noticeable recovery in most regions of the world, after years of slowdown due to the pandemic, according to the World Tourism Barometer report issued by the United Nations World Tourism Organization in January 2026. The African continent recorded a total of 81 million trips, an increase of 8% compared to the previous year, with a strong performance in the North Africa region by (+11%). With Morocco topping the list of African destinations with a growth rate of (+14%), as it approached the barrier of 20 million visitors.

In this context, the numbers recorded in the Middle East region reflect a remarkable shift in the map of tourism recovery. The region as a whole recorded a growth of 3%, equivalent to 39% higher than pre-pandemic levels, and it is the strongest results compared to the year 2019, with Egypt leading the countries of the region in the growth rate of the number of international tourist arrivals by (+20%) during the year 2025, followed by Jordan (+12%) and Bahrain (+11%), in addition to recording a growth in tourism revenues amounting to 17%, to be among the countries with the highest levels in the world in this regard. Indicator.

The Grand Egyptian Museum…an icon of sustainable tourist attraction

The Grand Egyptian Museum not only played a major role in enhancing cultural tourism attractions, but also represented a turning point in the path of sustainable tourism in Egypt. The project contributed to prolonging the duration of the tourist’s stay, and transforming the visit from a quick experience into an integrated cultural trip, which was directly reflected in hotel occupancy rates and the volume of tourist spending.

The museum also played a pivotal role in stimulating tourism development in the West Cairo and Giza region, as the surrounding area witnessed a remarkable expansion in hotel investments and the emergence of new types of tourist accommodation consistent with the concepts of sustainability, whether in terms of energy efficiency, resource management, or improving the quality of services. This development has strengthened the hotel sector’s ability to accommodate the increase in the number of visitors, while maintaining a balance between economic growth and the environmental dimension.

In this context, the museum represents a practical model of how major cultural projects can be used to support sustainable tourism, by creating job opportunities, stimulating tourism-related value chains, and enhancing integration between infrastructure, digital services, and the hotel sector, thus consolidating Egypt’s position as a global tourist destination capable of long-term sustainable growth, in line with the state’s trend towards linking major tourism projects to a more comprehensive development vision that maximizes the economic, social, and environmental returns from every trip. Tourist.

Sustainable Tourism on its World Day

In this context, the United Nations declared February 17 as World Day for Sustainable Tourism, emphasizing the importance of building a tourism sector that has flexibility and the ability to confront crises and shocks, especially in light of the rapid economic and environmental fluctuations the world is witnessing.

This trend also calls on countries to adopt national strategies based on partnership between the public and private sectors, and to diversify tourism activities and products, in a way that enhances the sustainability of the tourism sector and maintains its role as an engine of economic and social development in the long term.

In conclusion, the recent Egyptian steps in developing tourism, from major projects such as the Grand Egyptian Museum to adopting sustainable tourism strategies, reflect the state’s ability to transform tourism growth into a comprehensive lever for economic, social and environmental development. The museum represents a practical model of how to integrate infrastructure, hotel services, and local investment with sustainability standards, which contributes to enhancing productive job opportunities, stimulating the local economy, and raising the quality of the tourism experience for every visitor.

The Earth Guards Foundation believes that this trend highlights how the tourism sector can be an important tool for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal (8) related to economic growth and decent work, by enhancing the ability of local communities to benefit directly from tourism revenues, encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, and linking tourism investments to the preservation of natural resources. And cultural.