Egypt Sets Five-Year Goal to Double International Yacht Calls

The Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA) has set a goal of doubling international yacht calls to Egypt within five years following meetings at the Monaco Yacht Show with leading brokers, crew associations and marina bodies whose members shape where the global fleet spends each season.

The ETA will measure progress by more than arrivals. It will also track how long yachts stay, how many return, and how much charter activity Egypt attracts. The aim is for Egypt to be a destination owners plan a season around, not a stop on the way to somewhere else.

Dr. Ahmed Youssef, CEO of the Egyptian Tourism Authority, said: “Egypt is somewhere you sail to, not somewhere you sail through. From the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, and inland to a civilisation that goes back five thousand years alongside the many layers of history and culture that have shaped Egypt over the centuries. Yachting adds another dimension to that experience, connecting our coastlines with a much broader cultural and tourism proposition. Our role is to take what Egypt is building to the international market and turn it into demand.”

Egypt's two coasts give owners a split season. The Red Sea offers winter cruising within reach of the Mediterranean, and the Mediterranean coast of Al-Sahel carries the summer. 

Access arrangements are designed for longer, more varied itineraries. Foreign tourist yachts may visit 47 Egyptian islands, and passengers can go ashore and snorkel under rules set with Egypt's environmental authorities. Arrivals, approvals and payments are handled through a single digital window, with permit turnaround in 30 minutes. Yachts can also leave from a different Egyptian port than the one they entered.

The delegation met Bernard d'Alessandri, Secretary General of the Yacht Club de Monaco, and José Marco Casellini, CEO of Monaco Marina Management (M3), along with the leadership of MYBA, the Professional Yachting Association, the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) and the European Committee for Professional Yachting (ECPY). Discussions covered the Egyptian government's plans to expand berths on both coasts and to simplify procedures for owners and operators.

Egypt's participation in Monaco sits inside a wider national target: 30 million visitors a year by 2030, up from 19 million in 2025, with yacht and marina tourism named as one of the higher-yield categories expected to contribute.