Egypt to Waive Visa Fees for Tourists Flying to Luxor and Aswan

Egypt plans to waive visa fees for travelers soon according to the latest announcement by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. 

The Ministry added that free visa decisions for travelers will become effective from the beginning of May to the end of October this year. 

However, visitors will need to meet several conditions to be eligible for a visa fee waiver. One of the conditions outlined by the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy is that visitors need to enter Egypt through the international airports in Luxor or Aswan. 

According to Minister Sherif Fathy, “This decision aims to encourage tourists to visit Luxor and Aswan during the summer when the number of visitors to this region decreases due to high temperatures. It is part of the government’s plan to stimulate cultural and archaeological tourism in Upper Egypt.”

This condition was emphasized by the head of the Cultural Tourism Marketing Committee in Luxor, Mohamed Othman. He also said that all tourists traveling to either airport would not have to pay the existing visa fee. 

Currently, travelers to Egypt need to get a visa electronically before they depart or obtain a visa upon arrival. The tourist visa is valid for 30 days. 

Egypt welcomed a record 15.7 million visitors in 2024, surpassing the number of visitors to Egypt in 2023 by 800,000. According to the statistics by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the majority of the visitors came from European countries such as the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom. 
Revenue from the tourism industry in the first half of 2024 totaled $6.6 billion, marking a sharp increase from $6.3 billion in 2023.