Hisham Idris, a member of the Egyptian Chamber of Tourism Companies, highlighted that Egypt’s biggest challenge in achieving its goal of attracting 30 million tourists does not lie solely in the number of hotel rooms but in their distribution across tourist cities. He noted that the Red Sea Governorate hosts approximately 170,000 hotel rooms, while the North Coast has only 5,000, emphasizing the need to reconsider the allocation of hotel capacity to meet growing demand.
Idris told the press that focusing on events and festivals throughout the tourism season has significantly boosted demand for visits, especially from Arab markets. This surge prompted the government to issue licenses for holiday apartments to meet demand and expand accommodation options. He added that the Ministry of Tourism has set strict regulations for classifying holiday apartments to protect tourists’ rights and safeguard Egypt’s tourism reputation.
He also stressed the importance of formalizing unlicensed tourism entities, ensuring that tourism activities are monitored through official companies, while prioritizing market oversight, workforce training, and raising public awareness about the importance of tourism—key factors in achieving the 30-million-tourist target.
Idris praised Egypt’s achievements on the international stage, highlighting the Egyptian pavilion at the London WTM tourism exhibition last week, which featured a miniature model of the Grand Egyptian Museum and attracted large numbers of visitors. He also commended national and investment tourism projects in the North Coast and Alamein, which draw high-spending tourists. Idris emphasized the continued need to strengthen oversight and quality control, while ensuring the availability of hotel accommodations across all categories, including two- and three-star facilities, provided they deliver high-quality tourist services.
