Egypt Daily News – Egypt has doubled the number of “green” hotel rooms over the past two years, reaching more than 86,000 rooms, now accounting for over 37% of the country’s total hotel capacity of 230,000 rooms. This effort is part of Egypt’s plan to achieve full sustainability in the hospitality sector by 2030.
According to data confirmed by a government official familiar with the matter, the number of environmentally friendly hotel rooms rose to approximately 85,700 by the end of the first quarter of this year, up from only 40,000 in 2022.
Environmentally friendly hotel rooms are those that implement sustainable practices such as reducing resource consumption, using renewable energy, managing waste efficiently, and promoting environmental awareness. These standards align with international criteria set by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
Coastal Hotels Lead the Way
The Red Sea Governorate, located on Egypt’s eastern coast, leads in the number of eco-friendly hotel rooms, with over 41,000 rooms spread across 275 hotels. It is followed by South Sinai, with around 29,500 rooms in 123 hotels, and then Cairo with nearly 10,000 rooms in 31 hotels.
In Upper Egypt, Luxor known for its ancient pharaonic monuments, hosts more than 1,300 eco-friendly rooms across five hotels. Aswan, in the far south of the country, has 809 such rooms. Other coastal governorates, including Matrouh in the northwest, Suez east of Cairo, and Ras El Bar in the Nile Delta’s north, collectively offer about 3,900 eco-friendly rooms across six hotels.
Converting All Hotels to Green Standards
Mohamed Ayyoub, Chairman of the Chamber of Hotel Establishments, stated that Egypt aims to convert all its hotel facilities into environmentally friendly entities. He noted that the Chamber is collaborating with all relevant stakeholders to encourage hotels to adopt green practices.
This comes at a time when Egypt is witnessing a revival in tourism, one of its key sources of foreign currency. The number of inbound tourists rose by 25% year-on-year to 3.9 million in the first quarter of 2025, according to Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy.
Total tourist arrivals increased by 5% in 2024 to approximately 15.7 million compared to the previous year, while tourism revenues reached nearly 16 billion US dollars.
Higher Return on Investment
Adhering to environmental standards has become a key measure of success for any global hotel management company, according to Haitham Nassar, General Manager of the Ramses Hilton Hotel. He pointed out that investments in properties built with environmental criteria tend to yield higher returns, as this has become an attractive factor for tourists.
Alaa Akel, CEO of Jaz Hotel Group (a subsidiary of Travco Group), noted that travelers worldwide now prefer hotels that follow environmentally responsible practices. He added that this has become a requirement for many travel companies when contracting with hotels.
Akel said: “A few years ago, a hotel’s commitment to environmental standards was considered a luxury, now it’s a necessity.”
While smaller hotels still face financing challenges in adopting environmental standards, he explained that the growing global demand for eco-friendly accommodations is driving more hotels to make the transition. This is further supported by international initiatives and incentives, with backing from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism.
