Ashraf Abdel Ghani, founder of the Egyptian Tax Experts
Association, stated that the decision covers opera performances in Cairo,
Alexandria, and Damanhour, including Aida, the Summer Festival of Music and
Singing, the Arab Music Festival and Conference, and the Citadel International
Festival of Music and Singing.
The Egyptian Tax Experts Association regarded the move as a
major step in revitalizing the cultural sector and restoring Egypt’s historic
position as the Hollywood of the East. The association stressed the importance
of including cinemas and theaters in the exemption, given their role in
promoting Egypt’s soft power. Egypt was the first country in the Middle East to
launch a cinema in 1897.
Abdel Ghani highlighted a sharp decline in the number and
revenues of cinemas in Egypt, noting a drop from 359 venues in 1958 to fewer
than 60 today. He attributed the decline to the rise of streaming platforms,
artistic piracy, high ticket prices, inflation, and the spread of extremist
ideologies.
The Egyptian Tax Experts Association emphasized that lifting
the entertainment tax on cinemas and theaters could attract more audiences. The
total revenue from this tax across all sectors last year did not exceed one
billion Egyptian pounds. The association noted that the tax had led to the
cancellation of many events, while several regional countries have already
eliminated it to encourage tourism and foster cultural development.