WITH Egypt now putting out a very positive tourism message following the earlier political unrest, TTN spoke to STEPHANIE SONNABEND CEO of Sonesta about the group’s future in the country.
How many properties and boats does Sonesta now have in Egypt?
Sonesta manages 13 hotels, resorts and cruise ships in Egypt – Sonesta Hotel, Tower & Casino Cairo, Sonesta St George Hotel Luxor, Sonesta Beach Resort Sharm El Sheikh, Sonesta Club Sharm El Sheikh, Le Royale A Sonesta Collection Luxury Resort, Sonesta Beach Resort Taba, Sonesta Pharaoh Beach Resort Hurghada and the Nile cruise ships Sonesta St George, Sonesta Star Goddess, Sonesta Nile Goddess, Sonesta Moon Goddess, Sonesta Sun Goddess and Sonesta Dahabeya Amirat.
Are there plans for any new openings in 2011 or 2012 or any facelifts or refurbishments?
118 rooms were added at Sonesta St George Hotel Luxor and 152 rooms were added last year at Sonesta Hotel, Tower & Casino Cairo. The Sun Goddess cruise ship is currently in drydock for a complete renovation to be reintroduced later this year.
Last February saw the opening of Le Royale Sharm El Sheikh, how has the first year been in the new property?
Le Royale has been very well received. It provides a higher lever of service and amenities and has earned its ‘Sonesta Luxury Collection’ name. The hotel guests are also able to take advantage of the additional amenities available at its sister properties in Sharm El Sheikh.
What is Sonesta’s main market in Egypt – business/leisure or mixed, from which countries do visitors come and is this the same across all the properties?
The primary market depends on the destination; Cairo, the Red Sea Resorts, the Cruises and Luxor each attract a different mix.
Cairo is predominantly international business travellers from Europe, the US and other Arab nations.
Luxor and the ships tend to have leisure guests on the classical tour of Egypt’s antiquities. These include Americans, Western Europeans and lately some visitors from Asia. Most are arranged through tour operators.
The Red Sea Resorts offer a beach vacation which appeals to guests from the UK, Italy and Germany, Eastern Europe and Russia. The beach resorts see a lot of charter business.
How has Sonesta been affected by the recent unrest in Egypt?
Business took a steep decline in February as a result of the political unrest, and is slowly returning. The British market has been very strong initially.
What has been the reaction of travel agents?
The initial travel agent response was one of concern but that quickly turned to being very supportive of Egyptian tourism. Many of the tour groups booked from the US have shown this support by not cancelling tours but simply postponing by a few months.
How much of the group’s business comes through travel agents and how much from other booking sources?
The resorts see between 80 and 90 per cent of their group business through tour operators. The Cairo hotel does a lot of local group business.
What has been the reaction from individual travellers, particularly those within the Gulf and wider Middle East region been?
We are still seeing business travelers from the region as guests in Cairo and Luxor.
Business is definitely improving but is not anywhere near back to normal yet.
Do you think the change in government will make much difference to the group and the wider travel and tourism industry within the country?
Egypt is such a unique tourist destination. When you combine the history and culture with the warm and welcoming hospitality of the locals, I have no doubt that Egypt’s tourism will return stronger than ever.
Moving forward, how is Sonesta marketing its product to show people that it’s still safe to go to Egypt and what are some of the most recent promotions for travel agents and members of the public?
We’ve begun the ‘Open for Business’ campaign directed at consumers and travel agents in many publications in Europe. We have also been marketing directly to our past guests to return. If a travel agent joins the Sonesta Travel Agent Rewards (STAR) programme, they can receive a 20 per cent commission on reservations through the summer.
What would be your message to the travelling public?
Our message remains that we have been operating in Egypt for almost 30 years and our hotels, resorts and cruises are ready and open for business. We encourage guests considering travel to consult with local travel professionals for the latest information.
Anything else you would like to add?
Egypt has been known as the cradle of civilization for centuries and also a cradle for inspiration; the source of many people’s discoveries and experiences. Come and experience history in the making as Egypt begins a new era. International flights are arriving daily. The ancient monuments that draw millions of tourists annually are open and ready to inspire you. Reservations are available for all properties through Sonesta.com.