Chairman of Board of Directors and Managing Director of “Port Ghalib” company, affiliated to Al-Khorafy Egypt Group Ahmed El-Khadem disclosed that the company will declare the opening of reservation in its residential project by the end of November with a price of three thousand dollars for one meter. The areas available are ranging between 40 meters for studio and 280 meters for villas, while tourist units will be handed over to its owners at the same time.
El-Khadem pointed out that the company will offer owners of the units lease system for their interest, which would achieve returns on their investments of no less than 5% and he expected that this system would be attractive to owners from European nationalities, while it is expected that Egyptian and Arab owners would prefer maintaining the privacy of their units.
“El-Khadem” said that contract was concluded with “Sun International company from South Africa for Hotel management, that is one of the leading International Management companies specialized in managing resorts of leisure type at the aim of managing the three hotels of the project that are comprised in Port Ghalib. He made it clear that the project is composed of four stages. First is the infra-structure which includes the establishment of power station, sea desalination plant, rest of utilities like roads and illumination and establishment of three hotels to be inaugurated in next November in addition to the Corniche over Marina, which consists of restaurants, shops and commercial activities to be inaugurated this year and a number of residential and hotel units. Carol Beach hotel was carried out last year.
The following stages include completion of the industrial and service activities plan west of “Desert back of the project” which allow the establishment of different factories that necessary environmental permission are currently underway.
El-Khadem explained that lands of the project were divided to be sold in individual deals inclusive of costs of utilities and infra-structures. A number of plots of lands were sold to a number of medical doctors to establish a hospital and other pieces for serving the airport of Marsa Allam.
Ahmed El-Khadem said that marketing of the project is assigned to one of the companies of the group with a marketing budget of 14 million dollars.
In response to the complains of the high prices of ground services at Marsa Allam Airport which led to the low movement of tourists and rate of occupation of Marsa Allam hotels El-Khadem said that prices of airport services are calculated according to the real cost for ground services of aircrafts and in accordance to the system applied all over the world in the operating airports.
He added that this airport will be handed over to the state after 40 years according to the contract concluded with the state, so the group should have to create what covers the B.O.T. with its economic costs. El-Khadem denied low rate of occupation of hotels.
He said that incoming tourist movement to the region is ever increasing, which is confirmed with the increase of number of planes landing at Marsa Allam airport, as the movement during last May recorded the landing of 205 planes carrying around 50 thousand and 600 passengers, which means increase of flow to the region in addition to the incentive program that was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with investors in the region for Tour Operators to place Marsa Allam within their tourist programs, which reduces costs of landing and departure as for Charter flights. El-Khadem asserted that incoming movement to Marsa Allam is suitable for the 7000 hotel rooms and it would increase immediately after the completion of the project and having one thousand new hotel rooms, and there is no need to compare with rate of occupation in Sharm El-Sheikh that comprise 40000 rooms.
Regarding the reason of lack of attraction of domestic tourism to Marsa Allam El-Khadem said that the Egyptian tourist prefers spending his vacations and holidays in the near regions like Alexandria, Ain El-Sokhna, Ras Sudr, North Coast, Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada, while Marsa Allam the far distance is preventing the recurrence of domestic tourism. He expected improvement in situation immediately following the implementation of agreement concluded between El-Khorafy Group and Express company affiliated to Egypt Air for operating domestic flights as from Next October twice weekly.
