What's new in Egypt?

Pyramids, tombs and pharaohs — Egypt’s historical credentials are well known, but a new, modern Egypt is emerging with hotel chains opening brand new properties that will portray the country in a whole new light.

Egypt is best known for its historical attributes and there is no doubt that the overwhelming majority of visitors go to witness the Pyramids and the tombs of the pharaohs.

However, for the seasoned traveller to Egypt and many Middle Eastern nationals, exploring the country’s past has been done to death and it is no longer the main draw.

This breed of traveller is looking for luxury, adventure and an increasingly modern holiday experience and it’s a trend that has been noticed by the major hotel chains and airlines who are increasing their presence in Egypt in terms of new properties and routes.

“When people think of Egypt they think of the Pyramids, but there is far more to Egypt,” says deputy director general of the Egyptian Tourism Federation, Manal Hosny.

“The 22% increase in visitors to Egypt year on year in 2007 can be explained by a number of factors. Egypt is placed centrally between a number of core markets including Europe, the Middle East and Asia,” Hosny explains.

And with the ongoing expansion of resorts in Egypt, Hosny envisages further growth within the country’s hospitality industry.

“New resorts are fuelling expansion in places like Port Ghalib, Sharm El Sheikh, Luxor, and El Gouna. Luxury hotels are bringing with them spas, swimming pools and golf courses,” Hosny explains.

“The more facilities there are, the greater attraction Egypt is for visitors,” she adds.

Although this has been a challenging year for Egypt due to the impact of the global recession and Swine Flu, the long-term prospects are incredibly positive, so it is definitely time to get a grip on what modern Egypt has to offer and learn how you can create a holiday to cater to your clients’ varying tastes.

Arrivals stats
Following an impressive 22% year-on-year increase in foreign tourist arrivals to Egypt in 2007, the Ministry of Tourism reported that foreign tourists totalled around 12.8 million in 2008, up 15% on 2007.

The most important source markets, it said, were Russia, Germany, Italy, Britain, Poland, Ukraine, Libya, France, Saudi Arabia and the US.

However, hotel bookings at the beginning of the 2009 show a dramatic drop compared with the same period in 2008 and the ministry has put in measures in place to counteract this decline.

Some hotels are now exempt from paying contributions to the Egyptian tourism promotion authority and the government has also subsidised the revenues of some of the charter flights coming in from European destinations.

Based on deteriorating economic conditions in key source markets, especially within the euro zone, Russia and Eastern Europe, there is an expectation that there will be a period of negative growth in tourist figures, but with a potential for a return to positive growth in 2010.

Additionally, it is thought the strength of the Egyptian Pound will have a negative impact on Egypt’s competitiveness as a tourist destination.

Property portfolio

IBEROTEL
The hospitality company Iberotel will open the five-star Il Mercato hotel in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in January 2010. The 276-bedroom spa hotel will be located in Hadabet Um El Seed, the centre of Il Mercato Promenade, which is one of the city’s main upmarket shopping destinations.

ANGSANA
Angsana will open its first Cairo property in 2012, after Banyan Tree signed up to develop a 100-bedroom property, destination spa and Greg Norman signature course with Egypt-based developer Sodic.

The 31,373m² resort will offer guests a gym, yoga and aerobics rooms, an outdoor pool with hydrotherapy facilities, tennis and squash courts, as well as the Troon Golf-managed course.It will be located in the new Allegria development in the west of Cairo.

CORAL COSMOPOLITAN HOTEL
The first Coral Hotels & Resorts property, Coral Cosmopolitan, will open in Egypt in 2010 offering 85 rooms, two restaurants and two meeting room.

RITZ-CARLTON CAIRO, PALM HILLS
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. has signed an agreement with Palm Hills Developments to manage The Ritz-Carlton Cairo, Palm Hills and a Jack Nicklaus-designed 27-hole golf course and clubhouse, set to open in 2012.

Situated within the Palm Hills October community in the new cosmopolitan 6th of October City, the property is approximately 45 minutes from downtown Cairo and within 20 minutes of the pyramids of Giza.

The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo will debut as the city’s first in 2011, joining The Ritz-Carlton, Sharm El Sheikh — the company’s first resort in the country.

Each guestroom in the 160-room resort will feature spacious accommodations to showcase contemporary design with uninterrupted panoramic views of the legendary Pyramids. There will also be an 1115m² spa, health club and two outdoor swimming pools.

SIX SENSES
Egypt’s first Six Senses Spa is hosted by Intercontinental The Palace Port Ghalib Resort, Red Sea, Egypt.

The 1700m² Six Senses Spa services the three resorts located at Port Ghalib Resort and comprises 16 treatment areas including three couples rooms, two Thai treatment rooms, and one wet treatment room with classically-designed stone beds.

The spa includes a sauna, steam room, changing rooms, fully equipped gym, and traditional hammams. A separate wet room offers a steam room and shower, plus a state-of-the-art ice room.

Country overview

CAIRO: is a bustling, manic city that captures the imagination and the essence of Egypt.

With major hotel brands already established and looking to add to their portfolio of properties in the city, the options for indulgence are many.

Furthermore, the development of shopping malls, golf courses and mixed-use facilities is opening up alternatives to those who want something more than the traditional Cairo experience.

LUXOR: is built on the 4000-year-old site of the ancient capital Thebes on the eastern bank of the Nile. Luxor is often referred to as one big outdoor museum, but there are also chic new luxury properties opening there.

Why not arrange a Nile cruise for your clients where they can relax on sun loungers as the Egyptian countryside unwinds before their eyes as they slowly drift along the famous waterway from Luxor towards Cairo?

A seven-night Nile Cruise can also be combined with a seven-night stay at a top hotel on the Red Sea coast, famous for its snorkelling and scuba diving.

THE RED SEA: offers some of the world’s most fascinating underwater scenery and is a diver’s paradise.

Hurghada is a resort favoured by both divers and sun-seekers as its waters are full of colourful tropical fish while back on dry land, Hurghada’s bazaar is a great place to haggle with traders and pick up gold and leather bargains.

Along the Red Sea coast are the modern purpose-built resorts of El Gouna, Makadi Bay and Soma Bay.

SHARM EL SHEIKH: is located on the southern tip of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and is developing a reputation as a stylish resort.

It has its own airport and boasts a good selection of tastefully-designed modern hotels. At the centre of the resort is Naama Bay, boasting facilities including shops and boutiques, lively bars and nightclubs.

Hilton in Egypt
Hilton Egypt is introducing a series of value-adds that will make its properties even more attractive to guests from the GCC market.

A number of basic initiatives have been introduced at nine of the company’s 16 hotels in Egypt, include serving breakfast until three in the afternoon and an extended room-service breakfast option.

“Guests from this market stay longer at our hotels than visitors from the European and UK markets,” explains Azza Serry, regional director of business development, Hilton Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Africa.

“They spend most of their time at the hotel so we need to be ready with our entertainment and food and beverage offering.

“They also spend longer awake at night so we have to be awake with them then and offer breakfast when they wake up.”