The Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry has also issued a tender seeking the services of a private firm to run, operate, and develop Hurghada International Airport, the country’s second-busiest airport.
This is the first step in a broader government initiative to privatize the operations of 11 airports in Egypt while keeping the assets under state ownership. The project aims to enhance efficiency, increase capacity, and improve service standards.
Hurghada International was chosen to lead the program because of its strategic importance to tourism on the Red Sea coast. Advisory support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) will help identify strategic partners and manage the national airport partnership approach. Under this framework, the IFC will serve as the primary advisor to all 11 airports where private sector participation is expected. The goal is to ensure international best practices and strategic investment approaches are implemented.
Civil Aviation Minister Sameh El-Hefny emphasized the significance of the project, stating that refurbishing Hurghada International Airport is important to enhance operational efficiency and manage the growing number of passengers. Egypt’s airports collectively handled over 50 million passengers and nearly 400,000 flights in 2024, with Hurghada leading in passenger numbers. The airport attracted about 10.5 million passengers in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, 22 percent more than the previous year, showing an urgent need for more capacity and better services.
The project includes Hurghada International, Sphinx International, Sharm El Sheikh International, Alexandria International, Luxor International, Aswan International, Sohag International, Assiut, Abu Simbel, El Alamein, and Marsa Matruh airports, which will later be opened to private sector management under the government’s strategic plan. This move shows Egypt’s commitment to modernizing its aviation facilities and highlights the importance of privatization in major transport hubs while retaining state control to ensure national benefits.
