WTTC hosts leadership cruise through Egypt’s Suez Canal
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) hosted its first Leadership Cruise along Egypt’s Suez Canal, gathering over 300 global leaders to discuss tourism recovery and growth, with Egypt highlighted as a model for resilience. The event, supported by the Egyptian government, featured discussions on expanding tourism infrastructure, including doubling hotel rooms and investing in aviation and cultural attractions like the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) organized its inaugural Leadership Cruise through Egypt’s Suez Canal, bringing together more than 300 leaders from public and private sectors to address tourism recovery and long-term industry development. The event, held aboard the Crystal Serenity and backed by the Egyptian government, included ministers, tourism executives, and international stakeholders. Sponsors of the initiative were the Antonio Lefebvre Foundation, Visit Egypt, Crystal Cruises, Coral Travel Group, and luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent. WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara praised Egypt’s resilience, noting its USD 34.4 billion tourism contribution in 2025 and 19 million visitors. She emphasized the Suez Canal’s symbolic significance for global collaboration in tourism recovery. Egypt’s tourism sector has seen substantial growth, with revenues rising from USD 4.9 billion in 2020/2021 to over USD 18 billion in 2025. The country plans to double its hotel rooms from 240,000, expand aviation capacity across 27 airports, and invest in high-speed rail projects. Egypt’s appeal is further bolstered by its 2,000 kilometers of coastline, cultural tourism offerings, and extensive archaeological heritage, including the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which houses over 100,000 artifacts. WTTC Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre called the cruise a pivotal moment for international cooperation, with sessions focusing on Egypt’s tourism development and global expansion strategies. The event underscored Egypt’s role as a leader in tourism recovery, with WTTC reporting the global sector contributed USD 11.6 trillion to world GDP in 2025, supporting 366 million jobs worldwide. Participants engaged in discussions with ministers and CEOs to explore future growth opportunities, highlighting Egypt’s commitment to enhancing its tourism infrastructure and cultural attractions. The cruise served as a platform for collaborative solutions in an industry still recovering from global disruptions.
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