Egypt is experiencing a steady increase in tourism interest from Asia-Pacific as travellers lean more into cultural destinations.
Alaa Tolba, co-founder of Album Travel, said more than 70 per cent of his groups hail from Asia-Pacific, where markets such as Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia have shown consistent growth.
“The frequency of tour groups from Asia-Pacific has grown from five per month a few years ago to nearly 30 a month today, where these travellers are seeking exotic and history-rich destinations,” he said.
While demand is high, access has become complex due to geopolitical factors. For much of South-east Asia, travel to Cairo is heavily reliant on Midd
le Eastern carriers.
“While Egypt is far away from these conflicts and remains very safe for visitors, regional flight suspensions and cancellations have resulted in postponement,” Tolba shared.
In contrast, North Asian markets – in particular China and Taiwan – have been less affected. Direct flights between China and Cairo via carriers like EgyptAir, Sichuan Airlines, and Hainan Airlines have provided a stable alternative, said Ashraf Elewa, CEO, Interpoint Tours Travel.
He pointed out that some of his Indonesian and Malaysian groups are opting to use Chinese cities like Shenzhen or Shanghai as transit points to bypass Middle Eastern airspace, occasionally even finding more competitive pricing in the process.
With Asia-Pacific travellers generally being first-time visitors, most opt for the classic Egyptian itinerary that spans seven to 10 days and includes the Pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, followed by a domestic flight or sleeper train to Aswan for a Nile cruise to Luxor.
Despite current hurdles, both agents remain optimistic, and as long as direct flight options continue to increase, Asia-Pacific arrivals will remain a cornerstone of Egypt’s tourism growth.
“We continue to receive booking requests for the winter season from October 2026 to March 2027; this is typically our high season,” said Tolba.
Elewa said: “The government continues to improve tourism infrastructure, and we now have major new attractions such as the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza.”
Egypt is also modernising its entry protocols to achieve 30 million annual visitors by 2028 – by introducing an emergency electronic visa system and an upgraded e-Visa platform to simplify airport procedures.
In 2025, the total number of visitors to Egypt hit 19 million, marking a 21 per cent increase compared to 2024, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
Reflecting this momentum, the Egyptian pavilion at ITB Berlin 2026 also grew significantly, from 80 exhibitors last year to over 120 this year.
