$8 billion in tourism revenues in Egypt during the first six months
The Chairman of the Egyptian Exchange, Omar Radwan, announced that approximately 450,000 new investors joined the securities market during the current year, 2026, compared to only about 25,000 new investors in 2020.
In televised statements, he said, “All indicators of the Egyptian stock market are recording positive performance, with an increase in the number of transactions, trading volumes, and market capitalization. The market’s capitalization started 2026 at around 3 trillion Egyptian pounds, before rising to approximately 4.5 trillion pounds currently.”
A document titled “Economic and Social Development Plan,” presented to parliament, revealed that tourism revenues reached a historic total of around 8 billion US dollars during the first half of 2026. It clarified that this financial recovery is supported by accelerated growth in hotel rooms, with approximately 6,000 new hotel rooms added to increase capacity and meet the growing global demand for Egypt as a destination. Additionally, the infrastructure at historical sites has seen a qualitative leap, aiming to enhance visitors’ experiences and improve service efficiency in line with the latest international standards.
For his part, Egyptian Minister of Civil Aviation, Dr. Samah Al-Hafni, commented on Air Cairo’s signing of a contract to add 30 new Airbus A320neo aircraft to its fleet, stating that contracting for the new planes represents an important step in the company’s growth journey. It reflects the Egyptian civil aviation sector’s orientation toward developing the operational capabilities of companies and enhancing the efficiency of their fleets, in line with the growing demand for air transport.
For her part, Air Cairo stated that the fleet expansion plan is part of a comprehensive strategy to introduce modern aircraft and improve fleet efficiency, contributing to reducing the average age of its fleet to around 5.5 years. The company aims to reach a total fleet size of 82 aircraft over the next four years.
The Egyptian Airports Company stated that it is monitoring, in coordination with airlines and relevant authorities, the repercussions of a technical failure affecting flight data processing systems operated by the UK’s air navigation services, which resulted in the cancellation and delay of several flights at British airports.
It noted that “a number of arriving and departing flights to and from Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh International Airports were affected due to the operational repercussions of the failure, which may lead to some temporary passenger congestion at the two airports. Measures are being taken to address these repercussions, with flight information and updates being provided in coordination with the concerned airlines, and passengers affected by cancelled flights being cared for, while ensuring rapid provision of hotel accommodations until flight schedules resume normal operations.”
