Aviation contributes USD 21.1 bn, 5.3% of Egypt’s GDP: IATA
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In Egypt, 56,100 people are reported to be directly employed in aviation generating USD 3.5 billion of economic output, equal to 0.9% of total GDP.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released a study measuring the significant economic and employment benefits aviation (including aviation-related tourism) generates for Egypt in terms of jobs and economic activity in 2023.
The study showed that the benefits generated by the wider supply chain, employee spending, and tourism activities contributing a total of USD 21.1 billion, contributing to 5.3% to GDP and 1.4 million jobs.
In Egypt, 56,100 people are reported to be directly employed in aviation, generating USD 3.5 billion of economic output, equal to 0.9% of total GDP. 32,800 are directly employed by airlines, with a further 23,300 employed elsewhere in aviation and 1.2 million in aviation related tourism.
“Aviation is a key contributor to Egypt’s economy. Directly and through its well-developed tourism industry, aviation supports nearly 1.4 million jobs. And over 5% of Egypt’s GDP has close links to aviation. Importantly, the Egyptian government is using the aviation sector as a strategic enabler for its economic and social development. I was encouraged by the Minister of Civil Aviation’s reaffirmation of the government’s commitment to continued close collaboration with IATA in order to further expand aviation’s benefits to Egypt—guided by global standards and best practices across all areas of aviation, including safety, sustainability, cost-efficiency, skills development, and more,” said Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice-President for Africa and Middle East following a meeting with Dr. Sameh Elhefny, Minister of Civil Aviation, Egypt.
To continue maximizing the benefits of aviation, IATA highlights three key priorities for Egypt including, as Egypt strategically invests in airport infrastructure (Cairo International, Borg El Arab and Sphinx International), IATA urges the government to collaborate with airline users and adhere to global best practices. Such collaboration is expected to avoid unnecessary financial burdens on airlines and passengers.
IATA is encouraged by Egypt’s collaboration with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to create the capacity to produce 120,000 tonnes of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) annually. This said to support Egypt’s Vision 2030 and align with the global goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions in aviation by 2050; and from technical operations to digital transformation and sustainable practices, a future-ready workforce will strengthen safety, efficiency, and long-term resilience.