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Egypt has become one of the main destinations for Turkish tourists who want a holiday that remains financially accessible despite rising costs across Türkiye’s major tourist regions.
Sector data shows that the number of Turkish travelers who visited Egypt increased from 230,000 last year to about 350,000 this year, reflecting a wider trend driven by price differences, relaxed visa rules and an expanding flight network that links major Turkish cities with Egypt’s holiday centers.
This shift takes place during a period of improved Türkiye-Egypt relations, strengthened since the President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in 2022, which opened the way for renewed economic links, tourism cooperation and easier movement between the two countries.
Many Turkish investors now operate hotels in Egypt, especially in the Red Sea region, which creates a sense of familiarity for travelers while contributing to the rapid growth of the market.
Travelers who compare holiday costs notice a clear difference between Egyptian and Turkish coastal resorts.
Journalist Fulya Soybas described a four-night, five-day visit to Hurghada, where she paid about $630 (₺27,000) for accommodation in an ultra-luxury all-inclusive hotel and spent an additional $540 on flights and transfers, bringing the total to roughly $1,170.
A similar stay in Antalya’s Lara district during the same period would have reached around ₺100,000 due to higher hotel prices and more expensive flights.
Price gaps remain visible during the New Year and the school break period. Five-star hotels in Antalya start from $400 to $500 per night, while many hotels in Hurghada continue to apply November-level prices. Sharm el Sheikh stays average around $300 per night.
Tourism professionals say this difference is one of the main reasons why Egypt and Dubai have become Türkiye’s strongest competitors in both domestic and outbound travel markets.
TURSAB Board Chief Adviser Yildirim Tas points to several factors that shape current demand.
Tas also emphasizes the impact of the Türkiye-Europe visa crisis. Travelers struggle to secure appointments in countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and France, which leads many people to choose destinations where visa procedures are simple.
Egypt and Dubai allow entry without any advance process and ask travelers to pay $15 at the airport.
Tas expects the number of Turkish visitors to Egypt and Dubai to rise by 30% to 40% this year and says the figure could be much higher if Egypt accepted national ID cards for entry.
Egypt’s growing popularity also extends to culture tourism, which gains momentum during winter, when visitors prefer trips that include the pyramids, ancient temples, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Luxor and Aswan.
Coral Travel Group General Manager Mehmet Kamci told Patronlar Dunyasi that hotel occupancy rates for Christmas, New Year and the school break have reached about 90%.
This increase comes from Turkish, Russian and European travelers who take advantage of the visa at the airport and direct flights from Istanbul and other large Turkish cities.
Red Sea destinations such as Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada maintain strong demand throughout the year due to warm water temperatures and coral reefs.
Tour Operators Platform spokesperson Cem Polatoglu says Egypt renewed many facilities and improved security, which helps the country match the service standards of its regional competitors.
He notes that travelers can find a four-night, five-day all-inclusive package at a four-star hotel in Sharm or Hurghada for about $820, including flights, a price that remains below most Antalya packages and even undercuts several Greek island holidays.
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