Hurghada has grown from a small fishing village to one of the largest resort destinations along the Red Sea coast, stretching close to 40 km.

For many decades it was a small fishing village, but it has grown into a major Red Sea resort as a result of Egyptian and foreign investment that began in the 1980s.

[citation needed] Hurghada is a popular holiday destination for Europeans, especially during the winter, and some spend Christmas and New Year there.

The busiest area is Sakala, the city center on Sheraton Road lined with hotels, shops and restaurants.

The Egyptian Red Sea coast has been inhabited since antiquity, with the area of Hurghada being occupied since the 4th century, when the ancient settlement of Abu Sha’ar (Arabic: ابو شعر), located 20 km north of the modern city, was established.

Originally founded as a Roman military fort for Ala Nova Maximiana unit between 309-311, it was transformed into a Christian community around 400.

The Christians repurposed the fort into a church, leaving behind inscriptions, graffiti, and artifacts such as a 5th-century papyrus and a tapestry with a cross.

During the reign of King Farouk a recreational center was built in the city, but after President Nasser's nationalization of Egypt's industries it was reallocated to the Egyptian Armed Forces.

[citation needed] During the War of Attrition between Israel and Egypt (1967–70), Shadwan Island in the Red Sea to the east of the city was fortified by Egyptian troops and used as a radar post.

On 22 January 1970 the island was the site of Operation Rhodes, a helicopter assault by Israeli troops who occupied it for 36 hours.

[7] In another terrorist attack in Hurghada in 2017, a man declared that he wanted to kill only non-Egyptians, and stabbed seven female tourists.

[8][9] Hurghada's major industry is foreign and domestic tourism thanks to its year-round hot and dry climate and long beaches.

Sahl Hasheesh is a newly developed resort located 18 kilometres (11 mi) south of Hurghada on the Red Sea.

[24] It has clear long descending seas and is home to diverse marine life around artificial underwater walls.

During the Ottoman and the Islamic periods, Egyptians and Muslims from North Africa traveled from El Qoseir as pilgrims to Mecca.

El Gouna provides diving and watersports centers, horse stables, go-karting, shopping arcades, bazaars, a wide selection of restaurants and bars, night clubs, an internet cafe, four bank branches, many automated teller machines (ATMs), two pharmacies, the El Gouna international school, El Gouna national school, a nursery, a private hospital, three marinas, a library, an airport, one of several casinos on the Red Sea coast, a private radio station, a post office, a museum, real estate offices and an 18-hole golf course designed by Gene Bates with a unique aqua driving range.