The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is organising a unique leadership cruise through Egypt's Suez Canal with over 300 participants from the global travel and tourism industry.
The event, held in collaboration with the Egyptian government, brings together leaders from both the public and private sectors to discuss recovery, growth, and future opportunities in global tourism.
– Egypt is a clear example of resilience within the travel and tourism sector. The country had a tourism contribution of $34.4 billion in 2025 and welcomed an impressive 19 million visitors, says Gloria Guevara, WTTC President and CEO.
The cruise is held on board the luxury ship Crystal Serenity and is described as the first of its kind for the WTTC. Among the sponsors are Visit Egypt, Crystal Cruises and Abercrombie & Kent, among others.
WTTC highlights the Suez Canal as a symbol of global trade and international connections – a fitting location for discussions on tourism recovery after several years of global challenges.
The programme discusses, among other things, Egypt's continued investment in tourism. The country is investing heavily in new infrastructure, including hotels, flight capacity, and high-speed trains. The goal is to double the number of hotel rooms and strengthen the country's position as a global destination.
Egypt has simultaneously seen a sharp increase in tourism revenue, from 4.9 billion dollars during the pandemic years to over 18 billion dollars in 2025.
– It is an honour to gather over 300 leaders to experience the best of Egypt and, at the same time, discuss the future of tourism and its recovery, says WTTC Chairman, Manfredi Lefebvre.
According to the WTTC, the global travel and tourism industry contributed $11.6 trillion to the world economy in 2025, employing 366 million people worldwide.
