Prime Minister: We Aim to Make These Areas Inhabited by Residents and Tourists Throughout the Year, Not Just During the Summer
Madbouly Stresses the Need to Develop and Operate a Hotel Component in Every Coastal Tourism Project, Rather Than Focusing Solely on Real Estate Development
Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, held a meeting today to review the progress of development projects along the Northwestern Coast with a number of tourism investors. The meeting was attended by Eng. Sherif El-Sherbiny, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities; Eng. Ahmed Moussa, Vice Chairman of the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) for Planning and Projects; Dr. Abdel Khalek Ibrahim, Assistant Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities for Technical Affairs; Eng. Ahmed Ibrahim, Head of New Alamein City Authority; Eng. Mahmoud Zaghloul, Head of the North Coast Authority (Sector One); and a number of developers and tourism investors operating along the Northwestern Coast.
The Prime Minister stated that the purpose of the meeting was to engage with investors who own land along the North Coast, extending from west of Ras El Hekma to east of Marsa Matrouh, and coordinate efforts to achieve the state's vision for developing these areas in a way that contributes to increasing tourist arrivals. He noted that the aim is to ensure these areas remain populated by residents and tourists throughout the year, rather than being active only during the summer season.
Madbouly explained that, within the framework of the state's overall planning and development vision, all projects implemented by investors must be integrated, including the development of a seaside promenade connecting the various projects. He stressed the need to develop and operate a hotel component within every coastal tourism project, rather than limiting development to residential and real estate components alone. Accordingly, starting in the coming period, no new project will be permitted to operate before its hotel component has been constructed.
He added that the goal is to transform the North Coast into a global tourist destination, which can only be achieved by increasing the number of hotel rooms, given the strong demand from international tourists visiting the North Coast. He noted that the region has the potential to operate year-round, provided that adequate infrastructure and hotels are available, adding that this will benefit everyone.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister also stressed that the commercial component of these projects must be planned to the highest standards, ensuring consistency and harmony among them within an integrated overall vision. He pointed out that the area will witness a major transformation with the development of Ras El Hekma City, making it essential to establish a comprehensive development vision for the region.
For his part, Eng. Sherif El-Sherbiny outlined the Ministry's urban development plan for the Northwestern Coast, extending from west of Ras El Hekma to east of Sidi Heneish and Alam El Roum. He reviewed the land under the jurisdiction of the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA), as well as the current development status of the area extending from west of Ras El Hekma to El Garawla, highlighting current and future work plans and proposed implementation mechanisms. The Minister of Housing also reviewed the land sector extending from west of Ras El Hekma to east of Sidi Heneish and Alam El Roum, along with the development status of these areas.
For their part, tourism investors welcomed these important remarks, affirming their commitment to cooperating with the state to achieve these objectives. They also outlined several challenges facing their development plans in the region and called for expanding the available services, including healthcare, administrative and police services, as well as airport facilities and a yacht marina, among other services.
The tourism investors also called for the implementation of a global marketing campaign to promote the region, expressing their readiness to contribute to its costs. They further presented several ideas and proposals aimed at increasing tourist demand for the area.
The investors also highlighted their ongoing efforts to increase hotel room capacity, confirming that the North Coast is witnessing strong demand from visitors of various nationalities.
At the end of the meeting, the Prime Minister directed the Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities to appoint a consultancy firm to develop a comprehensive planning vision for the region, covering a depth of at least 10 kilometers, which all tourism investors must adhere to, ensuring that the area is developed to the highest standards. According to the official Facebook page of the Egyptian Cabinet
