Egypt accelerates expansion of electronic visa system to enhance tourism ahead of grand Egyptian museum opening

EGYPT – Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has chaired a key meeting at the New Capital to review significant progress on expanding entry facilitations for tourists through the electronic visa (e-visa) system.

Ministers and senior officials from relevant ministries attended the discussions.

Madbouly highlighted that the forthcoming opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum is expected to drive a surge in international visitor numbers.

He stressed that all Egyptian airports must be fully prepared by 2026 to process travelers via both the e-visa system and emergency (on-arrival) visa services to ensure flexible, streamlined entry.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to supporting tourism, Madbouly emphasized tourism’s pivotal role as a national economic pillar and a major foreign currency earner.

The government is focusing on enhancing visitor experiences and simplifying entry and exit procedures across airports and border crossings.

Cabinet Spokesperson Mohamed El-Homsany confirmed that the meeting reviewed updates on implementing the integrated e-visa issuance system and ongoing infrastructure upgrades at entry points.

These developments aim to expand the availability of e-visas, simplify procedures for tourists, and accelerate entry and departure processes.

Egypt currently offers e-visas to nationals of over 180 countries and visa-on-arrival services to citizens of dozens more.

The government’s digital transformation includes smart gates, biometric verification, QR-based visa confirmations, and online pre-arrival payments.

These measures are part of Egypt’s strategy to reach 30 million annual tourist arrivals by 2028, boost average spending per visitor, and position tourism as a key driver of economic growth.

The accelerated e-visa rollout aligns seamlessly with Egypt Vision 2030 and its broader digital government initiatives, aiming to create a modern, digitally enabled travel ecosystem.

In addition to the electronic visa expansion, Egypt has launched multiple initiatives to enhance its travel infrastructure and tourism experience.

The government is heavily investing in coastal resort developments such as New El Alamein City and Ras El Hekma, introducing luxury hotels, marinas, and improved transport links including airports and high-speed rail networks.

Nile tourism is also being developed with expanded floating hotel licenses and upgraded docking facilities for cruise ships, boosting cultural and heritage tourism on the Nile.

Furthermore, digital infrastructure upgrades aim to improve telecommunications and service quality for tourists.

These efforts aim to increase tourist numbers, lengthen stays, and raise overall visitor spending, aligning with Egypt Vision 2030 goals.

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