Rixos Hotels, one of the fastest growing hotel chains in the world is showcasing its expanding portfolio of properties in Egypt at the ongoing Arabian Travel Market (ATM), at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Aiming to build on its current collection of 3 ultra all inclusive resorts located in Sharm and Alamein, Rixos Hotels is very much in a growth phase and has set a target of reaching 2000 operating rooms by the end of 2019. This includes opening at least three hotels in the Hurghada region- Makadi Bay, Magawish and Sahl Hasheesh. The brand new beach-front properties heralds in a new era of excellence for Rixos Hotels through superlative ultra-all-inclusive experiences, comprising of inspiring and luxuriant guest rooms, suites, private villas, MICE facilities, wellness and health amenities, and an inspiring range of food & beverage outlets.
Commenting on the occasion, Erkan Yildirim, the Board Member and Managing Director of Rixos Hotels Egypt stated, “As the leading travel and tourism fair in the Middle East, ATM is one of the most important events on the Rixos calendar, and we are delighted to showcase our various brands and services to visitors at the event”. He added, “Our years of hotel management experience, coupled with our distinctive brand of luxurious, ultra all inclusive hospitality, makes our products unique. And we look forward to showing our current line-up of hotels as well as explaining more about our exciting developments to come.”.
The company expects to grow its current footprint by 150% with the addition of two new hotels in Marsa Alam and Cairo, and more than 10,000 rooms by the end of 2023. Currently operating 3 properties in Sharm El Sheikh, Rixos Hotels plans to enter new areas in Egypt as a part of its development pipeline. In 2019, the company is on-track to open Rixos Makadi Bay, Rixos Magawish, and Rixos Sahl Hasheesh. Yildirim commented, “New and established markets across Egypt continue to present us with immense opportunities to further enhance and diversify our portfolio in the country.”
“Rixos Hotels’ expansion comes at the right time. Over the last 12 months, Egypt’s tourism industry has witnessed healthy and steady growth, with arrivals up 14.5% from 8.3 million in 2017 to 9.5 million in 2018. Growth has been fuelled by the cheaper Egyptian Pound and government incentives for charter airlines operating international flights,” said Yildirim.
Arrivals from the Middle East to Egypt are expected to increase 50% from 1.49 million in 2018 to 2.23 million in 2022 with visitors from Saudi Arabia driving this growth, according to data published ahead of the Arabian Travel Market 2019. Moreover, studies conducted by Colliers indicate that Egypt’s total tourism revenue will increase by16.5% between 2018 and 2022 – even outperforming the business segment.
In line with Rixos Hotels’ strategy to double its number of hotel rooms in operation and widen its global footprint, the company also aims to address the ever-changing tastes of guests by providing broadened experiences for its customers.
“Egypt has emerged as one of the most attractive destinations for global luxury travelers, and the Rixos brand is synonymous with timeless ultra-all-inclusive experiences and impeccable standards of hospitality. We are delighted to add the new Hurghada properties to Rixos Hotels’ strong luxury portfolio in the market. The resorts will represent the very best of the Rixos brand, with its distinctive design, exquisite fine dining and truly exceptional service,” concluded Yildirim.