Egypt has secured the third position in Africa—and 63rd globally—in the 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index, published by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the Zurich Insurance Group, as reported by the African economic news agency “Ecofin.”
Mauritius ranked first in Africa (59th globally), followed by South Africa in second place (61st globally), with Egypt placing third.
The index does not directly measure the number of tourists, the volume of spending, or tourism-related revenue.
It instead assesses the environment that enables countries to attract tourism and develop it sustainably, as well as their capacity to provide the conditions necessary for the sector’s growth.
The index covers 110 countries and is based on 102 sub-indicators—categorized into five key dimensions—that encompass security and stability, infrastructure and air transport, policies and visa regulations, price competitiveness, digital services, tourism resources, and sustainability.
While Egypt’s achievement of the third-place ranking in Africa is significant, the results also highlight areas for improvement—specifically regarding the quality of services, the streamlining of procedures, the expansion of hotel capacity, the enhancement of the tourist experience, and the strengthening of sustainability and air connectivity.
Egypt’s true challenge lies in transforming substantial assets into greater outcomes—namely, higher tourist numbers, increased average spending, and longer stays—thereby propelling the country toward a more prominent global standing.
