JAZ Hotels, Resorts and Cruises is set to undergo the largest expansion to its portfolio to date with more than 15 properties in the pipeline, nine of which will open during the next year.
And parent company Travco is also planning the launch of a low-cost carrier airline next year as well as expanding the brand with the acquisition of further new properties.
Growth plans include the addition of three new hotel properties in the Nabq area of Sharm EI Sheikh and the launch of two five-star deluxe Nile cruise ships.
In Sharm El Sheikh, the company will open six new hotels and resorts by early 2010 immediately adding more than 1,000 rooms to its portfolio in the resort.
The company has also announced its first hotel on Egypt’s Mediterranean coastline, just 50 km west of the city of Alexandria, in a beautiful beachfront location.
Following an extensive refurbishment, the property will open as the Iberotel Borg El Arab by spring 2010. Located in the beautiful Madinat Makadi Resort, near Hurghada, the new Iberotel Makadi Palms has 102 spacious self-catering studios and apartments overlooking the executive nine hole, Madinat Makadi Golf Course.
At Taba, early 2010 also sees the opening of the Jaz Royal Taba.
Peter Grace, Jaz Hotels, Resorts and Cruises regional vice president sales and marketing, UK and Ireland, said: “We are currently experiencing a period of unprecedented expansion of our hotel portfolio, 2009 has been a phenomenal year for the company with several high-profile openings and the growth of our management sector.
“This is set to continue through 2010 and we are confident we can meet the demand for accommodation fuelled by a steady increase in visitors to Egypt.”
Karm EI Chiaty, Travco’s director of business development added: “Travco is now becoming a global brand with the acquisition of Steigenberger Hotel Group.
Our first move is to take this company to a more international level. As Steigenberger brand is only known in the German-speaking countries, this is the perfect opportunity for us utilse this brand and take it to a global level.
“We are thinking of moving to New York and opening hotels in the major cites of Europe, mainly Eastern Europe.
“Aside from Steigenberger, we are continuing to expand in Egypt. We are still buying undervalued hotels and expanding our hotels in Egypt as this is our cash cow and it’s a model that works for us and that we have pioneered and we are experts at.
“In the long term, additional hotels in the UAE and the Maldives are part of Travco’s expansion plans.
“We also have our low cost carrier that will be launched in the first half of 2010 as a joint venture with Air Arabia call Air Arabia Egypt.
“Now that we have all these different and diverse segments in our business, we are trying to make it all work together and to create value from places that weren’t there.