Massive Egyptian hotel expansion unveiled

A series of new hotels and Nile cruisers are to be added by a leading hotel company in Egypt in response to the country attracting more holidaymakers.

Jaz Hotels, Resorts & Cruises plans record expansion with more than 15 properties in the pipeline, nine of which are to open during 2009 and 2010.

Three new hotels will open in the Nabq area of Sharm El Sheikh and two five-star deluxe Nile cruise vessels are to be launched.

Six new hotels and resorts are to open in Sharm El Sheikh by early next year, adding more than 1,000 rooms to the Jaz portfolio in the Red Sea resort.

The four-star Sol Y Mar Sharks Bay is the first to open this week followed by the 200-room Sol Y Mar Naama Bay, appealing to divers and families with apartment-style accommodation, and the five-star Iberotel Il Mercato, located in the heart of the Il Mercato Promenade.

The company has also finalised a management agreement to run a new five-star beachfront resort hotel in the Nabq area of Sharm El Sheikh, offering more than 600 rooms.

JAz's first hotel 50 km west of Alexandria will open as the Iberotel Borg El Arab by next spring.

The new 102-room Iberotel Makadi Palms in the Madinat Makadi Resort, near Hurghada, has self-catering studios and apartments.

The five-start all-inclusive Jaz Royal Taba in Taba is also due to open in early 2010.

UK and Ireland regional sales and marketing vice-president Peter Grace said the company was experiencing a period of "unprecedented expansion" of its hotel portfolio.

"2009 has been a phenomenal year for the company with several high-profile openings and the growth of our management sector," he said.

"This is set to continue through 2010 and we are confident we can meet the demand for accommodation fuelled by a steady increase in visitors to Egypt."

With permission from Travelmole