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TIME Hotels Management (TIME), the new UAE-based hotel group, announced at Arabian Travel Market that they have signed a contract with Edris Group – a major Egyptian-based travel and tourism company – for the management of the Tuthotel property in Luxor, Egypt.
The boutique establishment has 79-rooms, and TIME will oversee a complete refurbishment of Tuthotel’s infrastructure, adding 82-rooms – to take its total inventory to 161-rooms – to upgrade it to deluxe four-star status in line with international standards. The former Edris-managed hotel will forthwith trade under the name ‘TIME Tuthotel’. Edris group still own the property, which, after extensive renovation, is expected to be fully-operational by the end of this year.
Mr. Mohamed Al Mazroei, Assistant Managing Director of Gulf General Investment Company (GGICO) -οwner of TIME- said: “I am thrilled to be signing a contract that promises so much for our young company.
“This auspicious announcement confirms our strong-minded and positive approach to our expansion plans for the Middle East, and demonstrates our commitment to providing our guests with the very best accommodation options in the region.”
Mr. Ahmed Edris, Chairman, Edris Group, said he was looking-forward to working with TIME: “I’m really optimistic about the future of the Tuthotel property now that its management is in the hands of TIME, which in my opinion, is one of the most ambitious brands in the Middle East hospitality industry.”
Overlooking the world-famous River Nile, and situated just 25 kilometres from the Luxor International Airport, and a mere ten-minute walk away from the local train station Mohamed Awadalla, Area Vice President, TIME, says the property is ideally situated for regional and international leisure travellers: “Located in Luxor, away from the noise and chaos of Egypt’s big cities, TIME Tuthotel will offer leisure travellers a tranquil retreat with stunning views of ‘the great river’ – remarkable for its centrality to ancient cultures and the modern world.
“And being located on the Nile, we will be well-positioned to implement a variety of tourist initiatives in collaboration with local tour operators and businesses including Nile cruises, Luxor and Karnak temple day-trips.
“What’s more guests can also access the traditional tourist hot-spots. With the train station in close proximity the property accessibility to the millennia-old Pyramids and Sphinx in Giza, and the Sinai Peninsula are only a train journey away.”
With its pharaonic antiquities and year-round warm beaches, tourism is Egypt’s top foreign currency earner, and the source of over a tenth of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Furthermore, it represents one of the Middle East North Africa’s (MENA) most important hospitality sectors.
Though political unrest has somewhat abated Egypt’s tourism arrivals over the last year, its historic sites remain a major attraction for tourists worldwide, says Mr. Awadalla. “The long-term potential of the Egyptian travel and tourism market cannot be questioned due to its proximity to Europe and its rich abundance of natural and cultural assets. “And despite the declines in the country’s tourism revenue, a recent STR Global Construction Pipeline Report shows that nearly 5,000 rooms are being developed in the country, reinforcing my point,” he added.
Indeed, Samy Mahmoud, undersecretary of the ministry and head of Egypt’s international Tourism Sector, recently said Egypt’s tourism ministry expects to see a recovery in tourist figures to between 12 and 13 million in 2012, bringing in $11 billion to the country.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
