Egypt has strengthened its drive to expand European tourism arrivals after Wizz Air launched 27 weekly flights from Poland to the Red Sea resorts of Marsa Alam, Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh, adding capacity expected to support hotel occupancy, tourism receipts and foreign-currency inflows.
The programme, which began in July, includes 11 weekly flights to Marsa Alam, nine to Hurghada and seven to Sharm El-Sheikh, marking Wizz Air’s first dedicated flight programme linking Poland with Egyptian tourist destinations. The services are additional to the airline’s existing operations from other European markets.
Poland is an increasingly important source market for Egypt, with the OECD identifying it alongside Germany and the UK as one of the principal markets supporting the country’s recent tourism growth. Direct low-cost connections are particularly suited to Polish demand for competitively priced beach holidays and year-round warm-weather destinations.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the expansion followed sustained discussions with Wizz Air, including meetings between Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy and the airline’s senior executives. The programme forms part of Egypt’s broader use of aviation incentives and airline partnerships to increase international seat capacity to its principal resort destinations.
The new flights arrive amid a strong recovery in Egypt’s tourism industry. The country welcomed a record 19 million international visitors in 2025, an increase of about 20.5 per cent from the previous year, while arrivals reached 6.1 million during the first four months of 2026, up 7 per cent year on year.
Wizz Air is one of Europe’s largest ultra-low-cost carriers, transporting 69.7 million passengers in the financial year to March 2026 and connecting almost 200 destinations across 45 countries with a fleet of 262 Airbus aircraft. Its scale gives Egypt access to a broad network of price-sensitive travellers across Central and Eastern Europe.
For Egypt, the Polish programme carries significance beyond the immediate increase in visitor numbers. Greater direct connectivity can help extend resort operating seasons, improve utilisation of hotel and airport infrastructure and diversify tourism demand across a wider range of European markets. At a time when tourism remains a critical source of foreign currency and employment, sustained airline expansion will be central to converting record arrivals into stronger revenues, investment and more resilient economic growth.
