Egyptian Commercial Service engages Lebanese investors to enhance hospitality, cross-border investments

EGYPT – The Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS) in Beirut has recently organized a key event in partnership with the Lebanese Franchise Association, focusing on promoting Egypt’s investment climate and strengthening Lebanese investments in the country.

This event underscores ECS’s commitment to fostering regional cooperation, with a strong emphasis on the hospitality sector.

Bringing together 12 leading Lebanese brands, all with active or planned investments in Egypt, the event showcased diverse players with footprints in Arab and African hospitality, retail, and service markets.

Participants included prominent names such as Elite Group for Insurance and Consulting, Momaki Restaurant Chain, and McNass Food (McDonald’s Lebanon), highlighting the vital hospitality link between the countries.

Noha Shetayya, Commercial Counselor and Head of the Egyptian Commercial Office in Beirut, provided an in-depth presentation on Egypt’s vibrant investment landscape.

She detailed available incentives and comprehensive support services throughout the investment lifecycle, from opportunity evaluation and partner selection to regulatory coordination.

The participating companies discussed their ambitions within Egypt’s hospitality market, sharing updates on projects and collaborating on ways to overcome local challenges.

The dialogue emphasized strategic support areas, including logistics, market entry guidance, and operational collaborations to accelerate hospitality growth.

Abdel Aziz El-Sherif, Head of the Commercial Office, highlighted that Lebanese investments in Egypt currently stand at US$854 million, primarily across industrial, service, and construction sectors, with a significant portion related to hospitality and retail.

Notably, by February 2025, 2,815 companies in Egypt have Lebanese participation, reflecting deepening commercial ties.

The event reaffirmed ECS’s role in facilitating robust bilateral trade and investment relations, particularly supporting hospitality ventures that align with Egypt’s tourism ambitions.

Enhanced engagement with Lebanese hospitality brands is positioned to diversify Egypt’s offerings, create jobs, and stimulate sustainable tourism development.

This concerted effort exemplifies cross-border collaboration, promoting knowledge exchange and investment facilitation to unlock new potential for the Egyptian and Lebanese hospitality sectors.

In addition to the companies mentioned, Lebanese investors have recently expanded their hospitality investments in Egypt through boutique hotel developments and luxury serviced apartments, especially in Cairo and the Red Sea region.

These projects focus on blending authentic Middle Eastern hospitality with modern design, aiming to attract both regional tourists and international visitors.

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