Walk like an Egyptian

zoom

The Ibn Tulun mosque in Cairo’s Sayyedah Zeinab district. (Image courtesy of CR Sumeja)

Access into the country has also improved, as The Rezidor Hotel Group regional director of sales and marketing Craig Senior points out.

"The accessibility from Europe allows the leisure traveler to be in Egypt within three to four hours; combined with the current hotel rates, this makes for an extremely competitively priced vacation option," Senior says.

Evolving Egypt

If increased hotel numbers are any kind of indicator of how a country's tourism industry will progress, then Egypt is clearly set for a bright future, with big name brands are flocking to the country to expand their regional portfolio.

IHG has had a presence in Egypt for more than 20 years, says Rowntree, and considers the country to be a "key market".

"In terms of existing properties we have two InterContinentals in Cairo, the Semiramis and Citystars - which is part of the first mixed-use development that came into play in the Middle East and also contains our newly opened Staybridge Suites, as well as an InterContinental Residence Suites. Then we also have an InterContinental out at Giza and three InterContinental resorts in Hurghada, Taba Heights and, just added to our inventory, our Port Ghalib resort which is in a mixed-use community development.

"We also have three Crowne Plaza in Sharm El Sheik and two in Port Ghalib, then finally we have two Holiday Inns in Cairo and Safaga," he says.

Rezidor also has a strong presence, with three Radisson SAS resorts currently in operation in El Quseir, Sharm El Sheikh and Taba as well as a Park Inn resort, also in Sharm El Sheikh.

The 392-room Hilton Hurghada, situated in an area renowned for scuba diving and water sports activities, also provides meeting facilities for corporate and business guests. "We also offer desert safaris," adds general manager Soha El Torgoman. "And we're in just the right location to allow guests to make a day trip to Luxor."

Business or pleasure

According to ETF director Ayman Altaranissi, the vast majority of visitors to Egypt are leisure and recreational tourists - but is the weight starting to shift?

IHG's Rowntree notes that there has been an increasing number of community and lifestyle developments serving the leisure market, but adds that there has also been a strengthening in the corporations who've got an interest in investments in Egypt, as well as an increase in the incentive markets out of Europe.

"Obviously the mix changes according to the location, so while traditionally the resort locations are driven by leisure travellers, there's also increasing conventions and incentives business."

The corporate segment is clearly one in which IHG sees potential; at its Port Ghalib property the group is to operate a convention centre with a capacity of 1800, that Rowntree hopes will "open us up to the incentives markets".

"And with our Cairo properties we are seeing a predominantly corporate market," he adds. "So really it's a mix of everything."

Print | Email | Discuss this article

| Share |

READERS' COMMENTS

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Arabian Business would like to point out that only comments relevant to the story will be published. Any containing personal insults or inappropriate language will not be approved.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Enter the words above *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM