Hossam El Shaer, a tourism expert and member of the Board of the Egyptian Tourism Federation (ETF), highlights the potential of Egypt’s North Coast region. Known for its moderate climate and picturesque scenery, the area is well-suited to attract tourists.
El Shaer points out that the delay in attracting tourists to the North Coast is due to a lack of comprehensive tourism planning. Currently, the focus has primarily been on real estate development rather than tourism.
Egypt’s share of international tourists remains relatively small compared to other Mediterranean basin countries, which collectively attract over 500 million visitors annually.
To address this, El Shaer emphasizes the need for enhanced tourism planning in the North Coast. The goal is to target at least 10 million tourists, requiring the creation of 60,000 additional hotel rooms. Currently, there are only 3,000 rooms available.
To accommodate this influx of tourists, El Shaer recommends upgrading airports in Alamein, Borg El Arab, Marsa Matrouh, and the planned airport in Ras El Hikma. Additionally, expanding shopping centres, extending the tourist season, and providing necessary tourism products are essential.
Drawing inspiration from Antalya in Turkey, which operates year-round, the North Coast should prepare for diverse experiences—beach, cultural, and therapeutic—throughout the year. Ras El Hikma, four times the size of Sharm El Sheikh, should aim for at least 40,000 hotel rooms.
El Shaer underscores the difference between Sharm El Sheikh’s success as a tourist city and the North Coast’s potential. Sharm El Sheikh’s decision to allocate sea-facing lands exclusively for hotels, rather than residential areas, played a crucial role.
To maintain viability for investors, the North Coast must limit residential city construction on its beaches while prioritizing hotel room creation.
Despite chalet prices exceeding EGP 200m per unit, the North Coast remains profitable for investment. The continuous demand for establishing more tourist cities and villages in the region reflects its potential.
El Shaer concludes that rapid hotel development in designated areas, particularly the Marina, will revitalize old North Coast villages and attract diverse tourist segments.
