Egypt ranks 3rd in Africa for tourism in 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index

Egypt has achieved a notable third-place position in Africa and a global 63rd rank in the 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index, according to a report by the World Economic Forum and Zurich Insurance Group, as detailed by the African economic news outlet "Ecofin." Ranked first in Africa and 59th globally was Mauritius, followed by South Africa in second place with a global ranking of 61st.

It's important to note the index does not quantify tourist numbers, expenditure, or tourism-related revenue. Instead, it evaluates the conditions that promote tourism and its sustainable growth, as well as the ability to create conducive circumstances for its expansion. The index comprises 110 countries and evaluates 102 sub-indicators, which fall into five main categories: security and stability, infrastructure and air transport, policies and visa regulations, price competitiveness, digital services, tourism resources, and sustainability.

While Egypt's third-place standing in Africa is a significant accomplishment, the report underscores the need for improvement in areas such as service quality, procedure simplification, hotel capacity growth, enhanced tourist experience, and sustainability and air connectivity. The real challenge for Egypt is converting its substantial assets into tangible outcomes, namely increasing tourist numbers, average spending per tourist, and length of stay, which would elevate Egypt's global standing in the tourism sector.