Travel and tourism in Egypt grew by 16.5% in 2018, much faster than the global average of 3.9%, according to research by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). According to The WTTC's, the country's efforts in improving security infrastructure paid off, leading to the increase in visits by 16.5% last year, the best since 2010. The improvements in security infrastructure resulted in attracting tourists and major travel companies back to Egypt's popular destinations, such as Sharm El-Sheikh, the Ministry of Tourism said in a statement on Monday. The WTTC's 2018 research, which compared Travel & Tourism sectors in 185 countries, also showed that travel and tourism are responsible for 9.5% of all Egypt's employment, providing 2.5 million jobs. The travel and tourism sector also contributed 11.9% of Egypt's GDP in 2018 and is expected to grow a further 5.4% in 2019. The statement quoted Egypt's Minister for Tourism Rania Al-Mashat as saying at a WTTC panel in November 2018 that she hopes to create “at least one opportunity for one person in every household in the country.” It also quoted Gloria Guevara, the WTTC president and chief executive, who had said: “We're delighted to see the strong recovery of the Egyptian travel sector – a sector crucial to national economic growth and a key provider of jobs." “WTTC also acknowledges Dr Rania Al-Mashat's prioritization of the sector and strategy to use the sector to enrich citizens and spread the benefits of travel and tourism across the country," Guevara added.
