Chinese tourists take photos while touring the Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor, Egypt, on Oct. 5, 2025.(Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
LUXOR, Egypt, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- A surge of Chinese tourists is helping revitalize Luxor's winter tourism season, transforming the ancient Egyptian city into a year-round destination and boosting the local economy.
The shift toward independent travel is reshaping Luxor's tourism landscape. "My wife and I did not want to come in a tourist group that is organized by a tourist agency; We just booked flights and hotels and made it to Egypt. This gave us more freedom to move around and visit more places," said Li Bo, a 30-year-old tourist from Beijing, while touring the Karnak Temple Complex with his wife.
Luxor is "unique" and "a big museum that is full of antiquities and museums," Li told Xinhua, adding, "you can smell history everywhere in Luxor."
The trend has also extended to family travel. Wang Changhui, who lives and works in Dubai, reunited with his Shanghai-based brother Wang Dong and their mother for a historical tour of Egypt.
"This is my eighth time in Egypt, but my first time in Luxor. I loved the culture and history of Luxor," said Wang Changhui, who listed major sites including the Valley of the Kings, the Hatshepsut Temple, and the Karnak Temple Complex.
Wang said he is also proud to learn that "there are Chinese archeologists who are helping Egypt preserve ancient antiquities in the Temple of Montu in Luxor."
Wang Dong told Xinhua his personal passion for history prompted his visit to Egypt, "which has a deeply-rooted history and civilization."
"I loved the Egyptian food too, especially koshari. I have read a lot about the Egyptian culture, and I thought it is time now to visit Egypt for the first time," he said.
According to the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, about 300,000 Chinese tourists visited Egypt in 2024. Egyptian authorities said the figure represented a rise of more than 60 percent from 2023.
Mohamed Othman, chairman of the Cultural Tourism Marketing Committee in Upper Egypt, confirmed the significant increase in Chinese visitors.
"The number of Chinese tourists may reach about 400,000 this year, compared to 300,000 in 2024," Othman said, noting that Chinese visits have become a year-round phenomenon.
He added that Luxor is preparing Chinese menus and site information signs to accommodate the growing market.
Meanwhile, local service providers are experiencing tangible benefits from the economic revival. Taxi driver Khaled Mohamed told Xinhua that "the tourism movement at the beginning of the winter season is extremely active with a clear presence of Chinese tourists."
"I drop off many of them every day. I have started speaking a few Chinese phrases so I can communicate with them," he said.
He observed that Chinese tourists frequent not only tourist areas but also local markets, restaurants, cafes, and commercial shops.
"Luxor suffered from some stagnation throughout the year in previous years, but the Chinese tourism is noticeably reviving the tourism market in Luxor," he added. ■
Chinese tourists take photos while touring the Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor, Egypt, on Oct. 5, 2025.(Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
Chinese tourists pose for photos while touring the Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor, Egypt, on Oct. 5, 2025.(Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)