We’re doing more to attract yacht tourism: The government has been working to boost Egypt’s yacht tourism since last year, in a bid to secure a source of FX inflows and capitalize on the burgeoning industry. After rolling out a digital platform to cater to tourists looking to enter Egypt via yacht, we’re now simplifying regulations and procedures even further to make it easier — and more attractive — for yacht owners to come to Egypt. These moves have the potential to significantly improve our standing as a yacht tourism destination, provided they’re implemented correctly, our industry sources tell us.

REMEMBER- Yacht tourism can bring in much-needed foreign currency, considering that it’s wealthy individuals who own or have access to yachts. The daily spend of those visiting Egypt via yachts is 94% more than the average tourist, former Tourism Minister Khaled El Anany previously said. Yacht tourism provides a great window to double the tourism spending of those visiting from the Gulf, tourism industry sources previously told us. Half of global nautical tourism is concentrated in the Mediterranean alone, which draws in over 30k yachts a year, according to the State Information Service (SIS). European countries overlooking the Mediterranean are currently dominating the yacht tourism sector, attracting an annual USD 150 bn from the sector.

We have plenty of marinas and ports to cater to the influx of yachts: Egypt currently has tens of yacht marinas and berths. It is also home to the North Coast’s 500-berth Porto Marina Resort, which overlooks the Mediterranean sea and can accommodate over 1.4k yachts. It is the first international yacht marina in the eastern part of North Africa. Also on the North Coast, the c.EGp 24 bn Marassi Marina and Yacht Club, courtesy of Emaar Misr, was inaugurated last summer. The coast’s first international marina has the capacity to accommodate over 260 yachts. We also have Hurghada Marina, which can accommodate around 188 yachts at a time. Egypt is also home to the Taba Heights Marina, which can accommodate up to 50 yachts and provide them with maintenance services as well, and El Gouna’s Abu Tig Marina and Sharm El Sheikh’s Marina Naama.

And now it’s easier for yachts to enter, stay in, and exit the country: Tourist yachts will now be able to receive entry permits to Egypt through the Transport Ministry’s digital platform for tourist yachts within 30 minutes, instead of the previous processing period of 15-30 days, the ministry said earlier this week. The new rules also allow all passengers to receive electronic tourist visas as part of the same process, with the platform now linking to the Interior Ministry’s passports and immigration administration. Tourists entering the country via yachts will now also be granted three-month visas, up from the previous 30-day expiry period, to accommodate longer trips, according to a ministry statement. Yachts will also be allowed to exit Egypt from any port, instead of previous regulations that required them to exit from the same point of entry.

The process has gone digital: Back in 2021, the Transport Ministry introduced a digital platform for tourist yachts to act as a one-stop-shop to manage and issue all the necessary approvals and permits. The digitization of the permit process was designed to eliminate the previously existing hassle of navigating a complicated web of bureaucracy, which industry insiders told us had been among the biggest complaints from yacht owners. Yacht owners can now apply for entry and mooring permits by uploading the required documents and providing their planned itinerary for the trip through the digital platform, which is standard procedure for most countries where yacht tourism is booming.

How does it work? The ministry has a step-by-step video to guide yacht owners on the process of applying for the permits and visas they’ll need to enter Egypt with their yacht ( watch, runtime: 11:37). The process requires them to provide certain information and documentation on the digital platform website — including details about the yacht and providing an ownership document, the planned itinerary for the trip, residency information for the yacht’s owner, crew, and other passengers, as well as declaring any cargo or wireless devices on board. Once this information is uploaded to the platform, the applicant will be required to pay the necessary fees — including mooring fees, which the ministry has now unified for all ministry-owned ports — and issue a payment receipt.

These updates could be a major boon for the yacht tourism industry, but it all depends on implementation: The ministry’s recent regulation changes could help put Egypt’s yacht tourism on the same playing field as regional leaders in the industry, said Ibrahim El Dessouky, head of the Federation of Egyptian Industries’ Maritime Transport division . However, the success of these regulations will depend on whether or not they are properly implemented, El Dessouky said, noting that some processes — such as getting clearance to bring in certain short-range wireless devices — can take as long as two months.

Your top infrastructure stories for the week:

  • Qalaa, Axens to study production of green fuels: Qalaa Holding, its waste management company ECARU, and French low-carbon energy company Axens will carry out joint research into producing green fuel in Egypt.
  • Japanese water pump maker to set up in the SCZone: Torishima Pumps will establish a USD 5 mn water pump factory in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
  • Japanese manufacturer Yazaki will begin construction of its EUR 30 mn factory in Fayoum’s first freezone after signing land contracts with local authorities.
  • More golden licenses granted: The Madbouly Cabinet gave its preliminary approval to grant five new golden licenses.
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