Egypt approved the creation of a National Council for Health Tourism as part of efforts to position itself as a regional hub for medical and wellness travel, the Cabinet said following its weekly meeting on Tuesday. Chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development, the new council will oversee the regulation, quality control, and promotion of Egypt's health tourism services — a sector the country hopes will attract more foreign currency inflows and support the broader economy. The council will be empowered to set national strategy, issue binding decisions, and develop international-standard service benchmarks. It will also establish a unified digital platform to centralise data, services, and statistics related to health tourism in Egypt. The move aligns with Egypt's strategy to diversify its tourism offerings beyond cultural and leisure travel. The Cabinet said in a statement that the council would meet at least quarterly and submit regular updates to the Prime Minister, who will chair sessions when present. Among its priorities are fostering public-private collaboration, improving access to services, and facilitating patient experience — including through a new mechanism to handle complaints. The government will also launch marketing campaigns to raise awareness of Egypt's competitive edge in medical care and wellness services. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
