Egypt enjoys a unique geographical location in the heart of the world between Asia, Africa and Europe; thus serving as a media for all types of tourism to flourish as it comprises about one third of the world's monuments. Over more than 7,000 thousand years, Egypt is well-known for its remarkable historic heritage and deep- rooted civilization, thus became the melting pot for the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Coptic and Islamic civilizations to mix and interchange, leaving behind a huge amount of monuments and rendering Egypt a unique country on the map of international tourism.

 

Furthermore, Egypt is distinguished for its unique climatic conditions all the year long and its extensive coasts along the Mediterranean and the Red Sea that are notable for their tourist-attracting summer resorts and eye-catching coral reefs. Furthermore, Egypt embraces the great River Nile that extends from the south to the North, with its valley that houses a variety of tourist heritage.

 

Tourism is one of the underpinnings of comprehensive development in Egypt; it is the main source of foreign currency and it absorbs a large portion of labour force. In addition it is closely related to about 70 feeder and complementary industries and services; thus representing the industry of the future.

 

Recently, Egypt's developmental map has completely changed thanks to the ongoing efforts to enhance tourist development. In this vein, tourism industry managed to create small vibrant towns, extend beaches and reach the depth of deserts to spread fine and modern living.

Since the beginnings of the 1980s, indicators of tourism industry have showed a remarkable development. In addition, the state has always strived to establish a robust huge infrastructure, extended up to the depth of the desert and the coasts of the Red Sea and Sinai, putting an end to the isolation of these vast areas far from the valley and turnings them into economic, developmental and tourist centres, housing fascinating sea resorts and hotel and tourist products according to international standards.

 

Since the beginnings of the 1990s, a new developmental policy was adopted upon the issuance of the Presidential Decree No. 425 of 1992 and the establishment of the General Authority for Tourist Development so as to achieve the planned and integrated development through making optimal use of distinguished national and international expertise. Moreover, the establishment of this Authority came as a remarkable leap that provided all incentives and guarantees to attract tourist to construct resorts, airports and new roads in the depth of deserts and along coasts,

Over the past 15 years, a number of new tourist communities were established in some remote areas, thus injecting life into such areas and turning them into tourism-attraction sites in addition to restructuring production and development centres in Egypt. Besides, during the period (1992-2005), about 557 tourist projects were set up with a hotel capacity of 40,000 rooms at an investment cost of LE 907 billion.

 

These projects are distributed among Aqaba Gulf, Red Sea, Al Ein Al-Sokhna, Ras Sidr, the Northern Coast and Al Areesh. It was also planned to establish 51 tourist centres of special tourist features, where all essential facilities were provided.

 

Tourism means a lot for Egypt, i.e. more than 8 million tourists annually, more than 80 million tourist right, more than 1.6 million direct and indirect job opportunities, about 12.5 percent of the urban area and 11.5 percent of the gross domestic production.

Due to Egypt's remarkable tourism-attraction features, the number of tourist has recently increased to hit 8.7 million tourists in 2005, while tourist nights amounted to 85.7 million nights in 2005. Accordingly, tourist revenues hit US Dollar 6429 million in 2005. Thereupon, tourism represents the main source of foreign currency.

 

The hotel sector is one of the most major effective sectors in the field of tourism. It mainly relies on scientific planning side by side with national and foreign expertise. Furthermore, it enjoys a model geographical distribution; hotels and tourist villages extend in Egypt's main tourist cities and along its coasts, in addition to the floating hotels that cruise the Nile and Nasser Lake behind the Dam, thus enhancing Nile tourism that enjoys international fame.

The hotel sector witnessed a tangible leap; the number of hotels, tourist villages and floating hotels amounted to 1187 in 2005, and the hotel capacity increased to 160,000 rooms in 2005 so as to match the huge increase in the number of tourists and tourist nights.

Furthermore, the existing marinas that extend from Cairo to Aswan were developed and new marinas established.

 

Cultural, monumental and historic tourism are considered the oldest and most salient types of tourism in Egypt as Egypt contains several pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Coptic and Islamic monuments.

Recently, Egypt's tourist products were upgraded to serve wider segments of tourists all over the World by introducing new types of tourism, namely archeological tourism, sea tourism, recreational tourism, religions tourism, therapeutic tourism, desert safari, international conferences and exhibitions tourism, eco-tourism and sports tourism, in addition to many recreational and cultural events that enrich the tourist product. Moreover, the diving centres tourism witnessed a remarkable robust that got clear in the increasing number of those centres that reached 346 centres in 2005.

 

With the aim of promoting tourist attraction, the “Vacations houses tourism” has flourished in 2005. This new type of tourism, in accordance with the ministerial decree No.548 of 2005, entitles non-Egyptians with the right ownership and usufruct of small units for residence in some new urban areas and some distinguished tourist areas in Sidi Abd el-Rahman, Hurghada, the Red Sea and Marsa matrouh.

 

It is considered the oldest type of tourism in Egypt. In addition, it stands as a vivid example of the greatness of Egypt's successive civilizations over ages.

 

- Al-Kaffara Dam

- City of Oun

- The Pyramids

- Saqqara

- Dahshour

 

- Al- Sawari Pillar

- Roman Baths

- Ras al-Saouda Temple

- Koam al-Shuqafa Tomb

 

- Temple of al-Karnak

- Luxor Temple

- Temple of Habu

- Valley of Kings

- Valley of Queens

- Al-Madina Monastery

- Luxor Mummification Museum

- Major and Minor Temples of Abu Simbel

- Island of Philae

- Botanical Garden

- Abydos

- Dandara Temple

- Tel el-Amarna

- Midum archeological area

- Al-Ashmounin city

- Tuna al-Gabal

 

- The grotto inscriptions

- Inseription and monuments of Serabit al-Khadem

- Mount Moses

- Al-Mahmal Road

- Ra's Mohammed Reserve

- Saint-Catherine

 

- Lahoun and Hawarah pyramids

- Senonsert Obelisk

- Town of Madhi 

           

- Temple of Hebes

- Tombs of al-Bagawat

- Al-Ghota Temple

- Al-Rayan Temple

- Al-Dein Palace

- Mut

- Bashandi

- Al-Muzawaqah Tombs

- The Islamic and Phaeaonic Villages of Balat

- Deir al-Hagar Temple

- The Islamic Village of al-Qast

- The Temple of Jupiter (Amun)

- Al-Khazinah Temple

It comprise 268 mineral and sulphuric water springs.

- The Roman Temple of Doush

-         Abu Monkara and al-Farafra palaces.

 

- The Hanging Church

- The Virgin Mary Church

- Abu Serga

- Mar Guirgis

- Saint Mina

-  The Virgin Mary Tree at Zaytoun

- Saint Mark's Cathedral at al-Abbasiya

- Mar Mina al-Agaybi Monastry

- Saint Antonious

- Wadi al-Natroun, Western Desert

- Anba Paula

- Al- Moharraq

- The White Monastery

- Saint Catherine's Monastery

- Amr Ibn al-A's

- Al-Hussein

- Sayeda Zeinab

- Imam al-Shafei

- Al-Azhar

- Sultan Hassan School and Mosque

- Ahmad Ibn Touloun

- Al-Hakim Bi Amr-Ellah

- Muhammad Ali

- Al-Rifa'ei

-Al-Mahmal Road in Sinai

- Salah Eddin al-Ayyoubi (Saladin)

- Muhammed Ali

- Qaitbey, Alexandria

- Al-Aqaba

- Al Gondi

- At Tour

 - Al-Arish

- Newaiba' Sinai

In view of the importance of Egypt's civilizational and religions heritage, due attention was paid to reviving the itinerary of the Holy Family on the threshold of the new millennium. In addition, efforts are being exerted nowadays to revive.

 

Represented in the following:

- The Egyptian Museum

- Islamic Art Museum

- Al-Jawhara Palace

- Mahoud Moukhtar Museum for fine arts

- Modern Egyptian Art Museum

- The Coptic Museum

- Mahmoud Saeed Museum, Alexandria

- Naval Museum, Alexandria

- Aswan Museum

- The Agricultural Museum

- The Military Museum, al-Alamein, Marsa Matrouh

- Marsa Matrouh

- Nagui Museum

- Railway Museum in the famous house of Ibn Luqman

- Donshwai Museum

- Postal Museum

- Wax Museum

- In addition, a mummification Museum was newly opened in the Pharaonic Village.

 

Egypt possesses vast deserts and mountains which provide opportunities of fun and adventures for safari tourists. This kind of tourism is available for tourists in Saint Catherine, Mount Moses,  al-Dakhla and al-Kharga Oasis, al-Ein al- Sokhna, al-Qoseir, Sharm el-Sheikh and Safaga. There, tourists enjoy watching wildlife animals and migrant birds.

 

Egypt is famous for its mineral and sulphuric springs, dry climate, a sandy and clay soil, good for curing various diseases. In addition, some of its beaches and coastal waters have peculiar curative natural properties.

 

Egypt possesses a wide range of sulphuric and mineral spring with unique chemical composition. It was proved that these springs have therapeutic properties that can cure numerous bone, kidney, skin and gastrointestinal diseases.

It is a common curative practice for patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis to bury their bodies in the sand. According to research results, the Red Sea water with its chemical composition and abundance of coral reefs help cure from psoriasis.

 

Tourist sites offering curative services in Egypt are numerous and are of historical fame such as: Helwan, Ein al-Seera, Hurghada, Fayyoum, Oasis, Aswan, Sinai and Safaga on the Red Sea Cost, all of which  are attracting increasingly larger numbers of tourists. Safaga is famous for extraordinary effect in curing skin diseases.

Represents a significant type of tourism that involves high tourism revenues. Cairo International Conference Center (CICC) is a major illustrious façade for such type of tourism. The centre is well equipped with the state-of-the-art technical facilities. Recently, Egypt has hosted the first international bourse of tourism named Mediterranean Bourse. Over the past six years, this type of tourism achieved a constant increase; the total number of major events held in the (CICC) reached 665, of which 132 are national and international conferences, 235 exhibitions and 298 parties and concerts. Due to the great demand for international conferences and exhibitions, a 6- thousand-m²-show hall was added to the (CICC),  thus bringing about high revenues that hit about LE 115.3 million.

 

Sports tourism is considered a significant component of tourist product as sports are now a principal source of attraction for all peoples of the world.

The most important sporting tourist sites are: al-Gezira horse riding club, Golf club, Shooting club and Sporting clubs on the Red Sea. Moreover, a club for water sports was inaugurated in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh.

  

This is a new and very special kind of tourism that attracts tourists of markedly high-level income. The Ministry of Tourism seeks to promote it as new and lucrative source of tourist income. Egypt offers golf amateurs a chance to participate their favourite sport at high-level courses located in unique tourist areas as Luxor, Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada that won the title of “The most fascinating tourist destinations” in 2005.

 

Egypt enjoys magnificent beaches extending along both Mediterranean and Red Sea. The Red Sea is characterized by its clear water, colourful coral reefs, rare fish and varying mountains ranges almost verging on the sea coast, leaving a space only wide enough to accommodate camping sites. Moreover, the coasts of Aqaba Gulf have many facilities of water sports such as diving, sea surfing … etc. In the Red Sea region, Safaga is the centre of beach trourism, due to its excellent location on the Suez Gulf and its magnificent beaches extending to a distance of 40 km. Its warm weather encourages tourists to visit it nine months every year. In addition, the Northern Coast abounds in numerous new tourist villages along its coast.

Alexandria is characterized by natural bays and an extended coast running from east to west over 70 km in addition to a wide range of sandy beaches.

 

This is a new source of national income. Environmental tourism sites include nature reserves of worldwide fame such as Ra's Mohammad, Saint Katherine, Naqab in South Sinai.

Environment in Safaga is distinguished by natural scenery combining sea, mountain and desert. It is planned to convert the coastal area of the Red Sea, extending to more than 1,000 km into a huge nature reserve which will be the second largest in the world.

 

Festivals are a major source of tourism and media attraction, yielding considerable economic returns to organizing countries. Egypt organized numerous festivals that attracted abroad audience such as the following:

- Cairo International Song Festival.

- International Cinema Festival.

- Tourism and Shopping Festival, including Gold Festival, (July 20- August 20).

- The Eleventh Annual Fishing Festival for Amateurs.

- Alexandria International Mediterranean Song, (June 23-28,2005).

- Sharm el-Sheikh International Bowling Championship.