Egypt to waive visa fees for some tourists

Tengrinews.kz – Egypt will waive visa fees for tourists arriving in Luxor and Aswan, Tengri Travel reports, citing VisaGuide.World.

From May 1 to October 31, 2025, the country will introduce temporary measures exempting certain travelers from paying visa fees, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy announced that the new rule applies to passengers flying into Luxor and Aswan international airports. The initiative aims to boost tourism in these regions during the summer, when visitor numbers typically decline due to high temperatures.

To benefit from the visa fee exemption, travelers must ensure their flights land exclusively in Luxor or Aswan. Currently, all visitors to Egypt are required to obtain a visa either upon arrival or in advance via an online system, except for those traveling to the Sinai Peninsula.

Mohamed Osman, a representative of the Cultural Tourism Marketing Committee in Luxor, confirmed that all tourists arriving at these airports will be exempt from the standard visa fee of £20 (around 13,000 KZT) for a 30-day stay.

This move is part of Egypt’s broader strategy to support cultural and archaeological tourism in Upper Egypt. Luxor and Aswan are home to some of the country’s most famous ancient sites, including Karnak Temple and Abu Simbel Temple.

Despite seasonal tourism declines, the Egyptian government hopes the visa waiver will encourage more visitors, stimulating the local economy.

In 2024, Egypt recorded 15.7 million international tourists, surpassing the 14.9 million visitors in 2023. Tourism revenue for the first half of 2024 reached $6.6 billion, exceeding the same period in 2023 ($6.3 billion) and even the pre-pandemic peak of 2010 ($5.6 billion).

Most foreign visitors come from European countries, including Germany, the UK, Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic, and France.