World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched a high-profile Leadership Cruise through the historic Suez Canal, bringing together more than 300 public and private sector leaders to discuss the future resilience and recovery of global travel and tourism.
Held with support from the Government of Egypt, the initiative has attracted senior tourism stakeholders and industry leaders aboard the Crystal Serenity, highlighting Egypt’s growing prominence in the global tourism landscape.
The gathering focused on tourism recovery, infrastructure expansion, connectivity and long-term sector resilience, while also positioning Egypt as a key global tourism growth market.
According to WTTC data, Egypt’s tourism sector contributed USD 34.4 billion to the economy in 2025 and welcomed nearly 19 million international visitors. Tourism revenues have also risen sharply from USD 4.9 billion in 2020/21 to over USD 18 billion in 2025.
Egypt is currently investing heavily in tourism and aviation infrastructure, including plans to expand hotel capacity and strengthen operations across its 27 airports. The country has also boosted its cultural tourism appeal through the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, which houses over 100,000 artefacts.
Industry leaders described the Suez Canal gathering as a symbolic and strategic platform for shaping the next phase of global tourism growth, particularly at a time when the sector continues to navigate economic uncertainty and shifting travel patterns.
WTTC estimates global travel and tourism contributed US$11.6 trillion to world GDP in 2025 while supporting 366 million jobs worldwide.
