Millions of tourists flood into area’s coastal fascinations
Hurghada launches region’s first fully accessible beach
By Moshira El-Taher
The Red Sea Governorate has firmly established itself on the global tourism map, maintaining its ranking as one of the world’s top destinations, despite challenging international conditions. This premier standing is driven by strong visitor preferences on leading travel search engines and booking platforms. Notably, TripAdvisor has ranked the Red Sea among the top 25 global destinations, praising its stunning coral reefs, turquoise waters, which are ideal for windsurfing, easy access to 39 islands, and more than 60 diving sites. Since the June 30 revolution of 2013, the governorate has undergone extensive development.
According to official data, Hurghada and Marsa Alam international airports welcomed around 5.7 million tourists from 50 different countries in 2025. Hurghada International Airport received about 4.4 million tourists, while Marsa Alam International Airport welcomed approximately 1.4 million visitors.
Despite these achievements, local authorities stress that the tourism sector requires further support to fully capitalise on its natural resources and capabilities. A forward-looking vision is essential at this stage to fulfil the ongoing ambition of consistently topping global destination lists.
The Egyptian Gazette sat down with newly-appointed Red Sea Governor, Walid Abdel Azim El-Barqi, to discuss his vision for the tourism sector and his plans to boost the governorate’s primary source of foreign currency. El-Barqi took office four months ago during the recent gubernatorial reshuffle decreed by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
Tourism remains the primary source of foreign currency and national income. As you look to the future, the sector requires a new vision to maximise returns. What is your strategy to achieve this?
The Red Sea undoubtedly holds a prominent position and consistently ranks as a top destination, but we are aiming higher because the region deserves it. We have developed an aspiring vision to reshape the governorate’s tourism landscape and ensure it competes effectively with the world’s leading destinations.
Our first step is to dismantle the barriers between state institutions and the private tourism sector. Integration is no longer optional, but a necessity driven by international competition. Consequently, we will formulate a unified, sustainable annual tourism agenda to showcase the governorate’s full potential.
We are also accelerating the implementation of the “Red Sea Revival 2026 – The N-Story” strategy. This is a comprehensive government blueprint launched by the Red Sea Governorate to reintroduce the region as an integrated global destination. The strategy aims to solidify the Red Sea’s position on the international tourism map and achieve a comprehensive urban transformation.
The main pillars of the “N-Story” include aggressive tourism promotion through annual international campaigns and the organisation of diverse sporting, cultural, and tourism events to build a sustainable brand image. It also covers urban and civil development, which involves upgrading residential areas, developing the tourist promenade, and establishing new, modern transport hubs in Hurghada and Marsa Alam.
Diversifying the tourism product is crucial for attracting new source markets and nationalities. What steps have been taken in this regard?
The Red Sea is currently experiencing a significant shift in diversifying its tourism offerings. We are no longer limited to traditional beach tourism, but have actively encouraged and promoted medical, environmental, sports, conference, festival, international competition, religious, historical, and cultural tourism.
The new Hurghada Museum is being heavily integrated into the itineraries of both international and domestic tour groups. Alongside enjoying our beaches, diving trips, and excursions, tourists can now engage with Egypt’s heritage. The museum aims to highlight artefacts from the Pharaonic era alongside a chronological display of Egypt’s history, including Coptic, Roman, and Islamic antiquities, as well as marine artefacts recovered from the Red Sea.
Additionally, the city of El Quseir serves as an open-air museum featuring manuscripts, drawings, and monuments from various eras, spearheaded by its historic Ottoman Citadel. This will be fully integrated into promotional programmes for cultural and archaeological tourism.
Security and stability are vital for attracting tourists. What new measures are being implemented to enhance the safety of visitors?
Political and security stability are among the most critical factors for attracting tourism and investment. Fortunately, Egypt enjoys both. While many regions and countries face unrest, Egypt remains resilient, goal-oriented, and capable of addressing challenges firmly and rationally.
Here in the Red Sea, there is complete coordination with the Directorate of Security to achieve “subconscious security, the strongest type of security system, by utilising the latest technologies. Most cities are fully covered by surveillance and monitoring cameras. Furthermore, for the first time in the Red Sea, a sensor-based traffic signalling system is being introduced. These sensors detect pedestrians to automatically regulate traffic flow without human intervention.
Despite the region’s natural advantages, global standing, and state efforts, several pressing issues hinder the achievement of your goals. How are these being addressed?
A rapid population growth and an expanding tourism sector have placed increasing pressure on public utilities, straining the local infrastructure and necessitating widespread replacements and upgrades. The political leadership pays close attention to this, backed by immense support from the central government. Regular meetings are held with Prime Minister, Moustafa Madbouli, to review the latest developments and discuss proposals to resolve these issues.
One of the most critical issues on our agenda was the water crisis. This represents a strategic priority and is under the direct supervision of the political leadership to guarantee service stability and continuity. Improving the drinking water and sanitation system currently tops our working agenda.
Disabled persons receive significant attention internationally and within Egypt, including in the leisure sector. What is being done to support accessible tourism?
The Egyptian state prioritises disabled persons, whether they are citizens or tourists, and works in line with Egypt Vision 2030 to empower them across all aspects of life. Egypt is committed to establishing the rights of these people to ensure their full integration into society.
To support accessible tourism, we have opened the first dedicated beach for disabled persons in Hurghada, the first of its kind in the Middle East. Covering an area of 6,255 square metres, it creates an integrated environment that reflects the values of justice and community participation, granting disabled persons their full right to recreation and social interaction.
Tourism is a sensitive industry that can be affected by minor incidents. What measures have been taken to ensure maritime safety and a rapid response to incidents at sea?
The safety of citizens and tourists is absolutely paramount. The governorate is witnessing an unprecedented leap in its medical security system, which reinforces visitor confidence in the Egyptian healthcare sector and places the Red Sea among the safest tourist destinations globally, in line with Egypt Vision 2030.
We are currently awaiting the arrival of the country’s second modern maritime ambulance launch. Operating as a floating intensive care unit, it is uniquely designed to handle the most challenging maritime conditions. This project represents the culmination of state efforts to deliver medical services that fully match the Red Sea’s status as a world-class tourist destination.
