Egypt is really pushing hard to hit that ambitious 30 million tourist mark by 2028. A big part of the plan? Making it way easier to get into the country, mainly by fixing up those airport procedures and getting some cool new e-visa systems going. Back on May 5th, 2025, Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli held a meeting to look at how they're tweaking things to make tourists happier – all tied into Egypt’s bigger plan for sustainable tourism by 2030.
Slicker Entry for Travelers Worldwide
The government is making streamlined border crossings a priority to better the experience for international visitors. Things like sprucing up airport buildings and tech, and making the e-Visa platform even better are key. The idea here is simple: make arriving at Egyptian airports and ports super smooth, helping the country double those tourist numbers by 2028.
E-Visa on Arrival – In an Emergency
At the heart of Egypt’s tourism strategy is an emergency electronic visa setup. It's slated to kick off at Cairo International Airport. Imagine landing and being able to grab a visa in minutes if you didn't sort one out beforehand! It’ll be available via terminals, online, or even an app. After a trial run, they’ll roll it out to seven more airports, aiming for all 14 international airports eventually. The regular e-Visa has been around since 2017, letting people from 78 countries get visas online, skipping embassy trips. This new emergency version just takes that a step further to cut down on hold-ups.
That Extended 96-Hour Transit Visa
To give short-term tourism a leg up, Egypt's prolonged its free 96-hour transit visa scheme up to April 2026. This project, first introduced back in 2023, lets passengers with stopovers using EgyptAir, Air Cairo, or Nile Air have a look around for four days without any visa costs or paperwork beforehand. This encourages some local spending and makes Egypt a handy place for a quick pit stop.
Building on, Well, Some Success
In 2024, Egypt saw 15.7 million tourists, nearly hitting peak numbers and giving a good base for that 2028 goal. By focusing on modernizing bits, simplifying rules, and introducing innovative visa bits, the government seems to be reinforcing the view of Egypt as a forward-thinking place to visit, generally speaking. By really making the most of its cultural sites, landmarks, and just making it easier to visit, Egypt’s certainly well-placed to draw in more global travelers in years to come.
