Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Source: Egypt’s Tourism and Antiquities Ministry
Egypt certifies tour guides in rare languages to welcome more visitors
In an exciting development for international travelers, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has certified tour guides fluent in a record number of foreign languages — including several rare ones such as Portuguese, Japanese, Turkish, Korean, Indonesian, Czech, Greek, Romanian, and Hungarian. This step is part of a broad initiative to make Egypt’s rich historical treasures more accessible and welcoming to visitors from around the globe.
The Ministry recently organized specialized exams at Helwan University’s Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, with collaboration from language experts and foreign embassies, to ensure that tour guides could demonstrate their proficiency not only in common languages but also in those that are less frequently spoken. Of 225 applicants, 58 guides successfully earned credentials to guide in these rare languages, helping fill critical gaps where demand from new markets is rising.
Samia Sami, Assistant Minister for Tourism Companies, said, “Expanding our tour guides’ language skills means we can offer a warm, informed welcome to even more visitors, ensuring everyone can experience Egypt’s wonders with a guide who speaks their language — no matter how rare.”
In addition, the Ministry has opened the door for all licensed guides to sit for “Add a Language” exams online until July 31. This ongoing effort, coordinated with Egypt’s tour guide syndicate, aims to boost the number of multilingual guides able to serve emerging tourism markets and to reduce reliance on external translators.
Beyond language skills, the Ministry continues to invest in the professional development of its guides. Intensive training programs conducted in the first half of 2025 have equipped over 300 aspiring guides with strong knowledge of history, cultural heritage, professional ethics, and legal standards.
These efforts reaffirm Egypt’s commitment to nurturing its tourism workforce and enhancing the visitor experience. With guides now certified in a broader array of languages, Egypt is truly opening its doors to the world, offering every visitor a more personal and memorable journey through its ancient wonders.