Egypt enjoys various fields of tourism attractions that enables it to occupy a distinguished position in the global yachts tourism. Its coasts extend to 3000Km along the Mediterranean and Red Sea connected by Suez Canal one of the main international waterways on the route between Europe and South Asia. Egypt is located on two gulfs (Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba).
The maritime activities have always been a valuable economic asset to the State. This great geographic location allowed Egypt to be the center of different civilizations from all around the world.
Egypt has 23 marinas and berths that receive yachts and tourism vessels.
According to the state’s plans to boost yachts tourism in Egypt, the Maritime Transport & Logistics Sector affiliated to the Ministry of Transport developed a strategy for enhancing the yachts tourism in ARE, and a single window portal was launched in Sep. 2022.
The portal is hosted by the official website of Maritime Transport & Logistics Sector with the cooperation of official competent entities. Its main purpose is to facilitate the procedures of receiving tourism yachts. A regulation was issued according to the Prime Minister Decree no. 2721/2022 for the organization of foreign yachts tourism in marinas and Egyptian seaports to serve as guidelines for all users including (specifications of berths, capacity, services, contact points in ports and marinas, approvals needed for the establishment of an international marina receiving foreign yachts or the establishment of a local marina).
- Reducing the time needed for obtaining approvals and security permits.
- Facilitate yacht movement between Egyptian ports/marinas.
- Unifying the fees in all ports/marinas in tourism ports.
Link of the yachts portal:
https://egyptyacht-sw.mts.gov.eg:8181/EMDB-web/?lang=en
The single window tourism yachts portal is the only official platform recognized by the Egyptian government.
- The possibility of obtaining Egypt’s visa electronically in the least possible time by linking the yachts portal to the Ministry of Interior for Passports,Immigration and Nationality.
- The possibility of accessing Suez Canal system for the completion of Canal transit procedures by linking the yachts portal to Suez Canal Authority.
- Reducing the time for completing the procedures of arrival/departure of foreign yachts.
- Obtaining a single approval on the foreign yacht visit’s schedule and a single electronically paid bill.
- Identifying a unified berthing fees/currency (US$) for all state owned berths, passengers terminals and tourism ports to avoid the conflict between berthing fees of foreign yachts in Egyptian ports.
- The yacht owner or his representative will enter the yacht and passengers data and upload the necessary documents as well as the time of arrival, the port of destination and the whole schedule of the trip on the portal.
- The portal will electronically transfer the data to the competent authorities for review and for issuing the necessary approvals and send them back to the portal.