Early history & origins
• The area around Hurghada has been inhabited since ancient times: about 20 km north of the modern city was once the settlement Abu Sha’ar, established as a Roman fort around 309–311 AD. Later it became a small Christian community (around the 5th century).
• The modern town of Hurghada was founded in 1905 as a small fishing village, by local Bedouin and fishermen, living from the sea.
The oil discovery & early changes
• In 1913 oil was discovered nearby by foreign companies, marking the first turning point in Hurghada’s modern history. The discovery brought new jobs and gradually changed the economic basis of the village.
• Over the decades, small infrastructure improvements happened: better connection with the rest of Egypt, small growth but still a modest coastal community dependent on the sea, fishing, and early industry.
Shift towards tourism & rapid growth (1980s–2000s)
• In the 1980s, the Egyptian government and foreign investors discovered Hurghada’s potential as a coastal resort: warm climate, beautiful coastline, coral reefs and clear Red Sea water made it perfect for beach- & water-tourism.
• The opening of the first hotels and resorts marked the beginning of Hurghada’s transformation from a fishing village to an international holiday destination.
• As tourism boomed, the town expanded: new districts emerged. Traditional old-town areas remained, but modern promenades, resorts, and marinas were built.
• By 2014, the population had grown dramatically: from only a few thousand to more than 250,000 inhabitants — becoming one of Egypt’s major coastal resort cities.
