Egypt, Türkiye Boost Cooperation Through Air Travel, Tourism

Egypt and Türkiye are strengthening their cooperation and “strategic partnership” by boosting air traffic and tourism as the two countries mark 75 years since the first flight between them. Egyptian Minister of Civil Aviation Sameh el-Hefny said on Friday that the celebration sent “a positive message reflecting the depth of the historic and strategic relations between Egypt and Türkiye.” He said the ties were seeing “remarkable development”, opening broader prospects for more partnerships in civil aviation, expanding operations and exchanging expertise in a way that serves the two countries’ shared economic interests. Egyptian-Turkish relations have grown over recent years, witnessing a significant improvement, exchanges of presidential visits and the expansion of economic activities. The minister of civil aviation took part on Friday in a celebration organized by Turkish Airlines to mark 75 years since the launch of its first flights to Cairo. The event was attended by Türkiye’s ambassador to Egypt, Salih Mutlu Sen, and aviation sector leaders from both countries. According to a statement by the Egyptian government, the occasion comes amid the remarkable recent development witnessed by Egyptian-Turkish relations, reflecting continued coordination and a shared will to expand areas of cooperation, particularly in air transport, tourism and investment, which are key pillars for supporting regional integration and achieving sustainable development. El-Hefny said the Turkish national carrier’s continued operation in the Egyptian market for more than seven decades “is clear testimony to the strength of bilateral relations and mutual confidence in opportunities for growth and expansion.” The civil aviation sector is a vital track for supporting Egyptian-Turkish relations because of the opportunities it provides to boost tourism and trade, he added. The Ministry of Civil Aviation attaches great importance to strengthening cooperation with various international airlines, in line with the Egyptian state’s vision to attract more air traffic and expand its network of links with regional and international markets, helping consolidate Egypt’s position as a key civil aviation hub in the region, he stressed. Egypt relies on tourism as one of its most important sources of national income. The government announced last week that “monthly growth in the tourism sector has reached 20 percent since the beginning of the current year compared with the same period last year, 2025.” The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities also said at the time that “2025 ended with notable growth in tourism movement, reaching 21 percent compared with 2024.” Karam Saeed, an expert on regional affairs and deputy editor-in-chief of Democracy Magazine, said the celebration marking 75 years since the first flight, preceded by celebrations of 100 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Türkiye, as well as the convening of the Higher Strategic Council, were important indicators at carefully chosen times. “Türkiye is one of the countries with abundant production of aircraft fuel, and I believe this cooperation is not separate from Egypt’s desire to benefit from this,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat. “Türkiye may lose part of Gulf tourism because of the repercussions of the Iranian war, and therefore the Egyptian market represents an important alternative or tributary to compensate for a potential decline in Gulf and Iranian tourism to Türkiye,” he added. Egypt and Türkiye are promising markets for tourism exchanges because of their historic and cultural proximity, he went on to say. Egypt is a suitable destination for Turkish tourists, while Türkiye offers an attractive climate for Egyptian tourists, in addition to the use of flights for commercial purposes. The Turkish ambassador to Cairo said on Friday that “Turkish Airlines’ continued presence in the Egyptian market throughout these years reflects the strength and solidity of relations between the two countries, and demonstrates the great confidence enjoyed by the Egyptian market as one of the most important strategic markets for the Turkish national carrier in the region.” He explained that Turkish Airlines’ journey in the Egyptian market has seen notable growth since the launch of its first flights to Cairo on May 14, 1951, at a rate of two flights per week, reaching today about 32 weekly flights from Cairo, in addition to a daily flight to Egypt’s top tourist destination, reflecting growing demand for travel between the two countries. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Cairo last February and witnessed the signing of several agreements in various fields. During a joint press conference, his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, said: “There is a convergence of views on various regional and international issues between Egypt and Türkiye.”