The fastest growing tourist destination in the world has been revealed in new research released by the United Nations. Egypt received a record number of tourists in 2017 compared to 2016 as the North African country continues to recover from a spate of terrorist attacks and tragic accidents. The finding was unveiled in the Tourism Highlights Report of the UN’s World Tourism Organisation which presents a concise overview of international tourism in the world based on the results for the year 2017.

The report revealed that 2017 saw the highest growth in international tourist arrivals in seven years since 2010, as well as the recovery of destinations suffering from security challenges in recent years. Egypt is one such destination. “Egypt led growth both in absolute and relative terms in arrivals, rebounding strongly from previous years,” the report said.

It added: “Visitor numbers rebounded from both traditional markets in Western Europe and emerging markets in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Promotional efforts and a return of confidence contributed to this recovery.” Egypt’s success in the report is backed up by statistics from Thomas Cook which has revealed that in 2018 Egypt experienced more bookings than in previous years. However, 2017 saw the country benefit from an incredible 55.1 per cent increase in tourists compared to 2016.

Tourists should be aware, though, that the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) state that the risk of terrorism is “very likely.” However, they add: “Around 319,000 British nationals visited Egypt in 2017. Most visits are trouble-free.”