Egypt's UK Arrivals Rise 9.4% to 838,000 in Nine Months
Egypt welcomed approximately 838,000 British visitors between January and September 2026, a 9.4% increase on the same period last year, according to figures shared at World Travel Market (WTM) London by Haitham Arafa of the Chamber of Tourism Companies and Travel Agencies. The figures were released as Egypt participated in WTM as Premier Partner for the first time — a platform Arafa described as central to strengthening Egypt's profile among UK tour operators and airlines. The country received around 1.1 million British tourists in full-year 2025, up 17% from 2024, and Arafa expects 2026's total to surpass that figure. Overall, Egypt received 12.7 million tourists in January to August 2026, up 4.1%, with the government targeting more than 20 million arrivals for the full year.
Egypt's expanded promotional campaign at WTM — spanning outdoor advertising, digital screens at London metro stations, and social media — reflects a broader strategy to diversify its visitor base beyond single-product tourism. EgyptAir launched direct Cairo - Birmingham flights on 25 October, operating four weekly services on Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft, making Birmingham its third UK destination after London and Manchester. Jet2 is also set to resume flights to Egypt from 11 February 2027 — its first since 2011 — with 18 weekly flights and more than 4,000 seats per week to Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh. Meanwhile, German operators TUI and DERTouristik are reporting Egypt as their strongest growth market for winter 2026/27 demand.
Source: Ahram Online
