Demand rises 27% year on year, with economy-air programs attracting more than two-thirds of applicants and selected pilgrims given 15 days to complete payment.
Egyptian tourism officials meet at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities as preparations advance for the 2027 Tourist Hajj season.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Egypt recorded 145,530 applicants for the 1448 AH / 2027 Tourist Hajj lottery, up about 27% from 114,604 a season earlier.
- Economy Air attracted 100,020 applicants, while the published visa allocation includes 18,000 Economy Air visas and 3,000 Land Transport visas.
- Successful applicants must contact their tourism companies and complete payment within 15 days of the lottery result announcement.
- Company partnership registration runs from October 1–8, 2026, with accommodation and package contracting milestones continuing through January 8, 2027.
(NEWS) NEW ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL, Cairo, Egypt, 2026-Oct-02 — /Travel PR News/ — Egypt’s organized Tourist Hajj program has moved into its contracting and implementation phase after the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities released the results of the public electronic lottery for the 1448 AH / 2027 season, drawing 145,530 applicants — about 27% more than the 114,604 recorded a season earlier.
The lottery was conducted at the ministry’s headquarters in the New Administrative Capital through the Egyptian Unified Hajj Portal under the rules approved by Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy. The ministry’s official announcement said representatives from the Central Administration for Tourism Companies, the Egyptian Federation of Tourist Chambers, the Chamber of Tourism Companies and Travel Agencies and the Ministry of Interior were present for the draw. The announcement was also carried by the Cairo Governorate news portal.
Samia Sami, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Tourism Companies and chairperson of the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah, said the 30,926-applicant increase reflects stronger demand for the Tourist Hajj system and its range of program types. The ministry also said applicants had not simultaneously entered through other Egyptian entities organizing Hajj, in line with the applicable rules.
Economy Air dominates applications
Demand was concentrated heavily in the lower-cost air category. The ministry reported the following distribution of applicants:
- Economy Air: 100,020 applicants, or 68.73% of the total.
- Land Transport: 25,900 applicants, or 17.8%.
- Tourist Camps A and B: 9,677 applicants, or 6.6%.
- Tourist Camps C: 5,602 applicants, or 3.8%.
- Tourist Towers: 4,331 applicants, or 2.98%.
The published visa allocation likewise gives the largest combined share to Economy Air and Land Transport. The ministry listed 18,000 visas for Economy Air, 3,000 for Land Transport, 4,300 for Tourist Camps A and B, 3,500 for Tourist Camps C and 2,000 for Tourist Towers.
Winners enter a 15-day completion window
Citizens selected in the draw are required to contact their tourism companies to complete the necessary procedures and pay for their Hajj program within 15 days of the results announcement. They must remain within the program category and mode of transport for which they were selected and retain their contracts and payment receipts showing the agreed services.
Results can be checked using a national ID number through the Egyptian Tourism Companies Services Portal, which is currently presenting the 1448 AH / 2027 Tourist Hajj lottery service. Tourism companies can retrieve results for their registered applicants through the designated electronic systems using their login credentials.
Contracting timetable runs into January
The next stage shifts toward operational preparation. Registration of company partnerships is scheduled for October 1–8, 2026. Contracting for comprehensive Hajj packages and inspections of pilgrims’ accommodation is due to begin on November 25, with companies required to complete accommodation-contract documentation, inspections and package contracting no later than January 8, 2027.
The season also introduces a performance and data-quality evaluation framework that assigns 50% of the score to the tourism company’s performance, 30% to its supervisors and 20% to pilgrims’ assessments of the services they receive. The system is intended to combine operational compliance with direct feedback from travelers.
Registration for citizens seeking entry to the Tourist Hajj lottery ran from September 4 through September 27. With the draw now completed, the ministry has called on participating tourism companies to observe the remaining deadlines and contracted service standards as preparations continue for the 2027 pilgrimage season.
