Akam Al Rajhi and IHG Hotels & Resorts Group signed a cooperation protocol to manage and operate Voco Hotel in the North Coast
Akam Al-Rajhi Developments Company signed a cooperation protocol with IHG Resorts and Hotels, one of the leading hotel companies in the world, to manage the private hotel in “Dose” project, as Akam Al-Rajhi’s first works in the Egyptian market in Ras Al Hikma, in one of the most distinguished beaches and places branding “Voco” to be the first hotel to carry this distinctive brand in the world for hotels on the Mediterranean coast, and this is due to the company’s keenness to choose the best distinguished brands in hospitality in the world to align with the clients needs and provide the highest standards of luxury and entertainment to reach the company’s main goal in providing quality of life and happiness within all its projects.
Edris Mohamed Akam Al-Rajhi CEO, and Haitham Mattar IHG Hotels& Resorts in India, Middle East and Africa Chairman, signed the contract, in the presence of Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, Ahmed Issa, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Zayed bin Abdullah Al-Asmari, the Commercial Attache at the Embassy of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Egypt, on behalf of Ambassador Osama bin Ahmed Al-Naqli the Saudi Ambassador in Egypt, and a number of senior Saudi businessmen.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities expressed his happiness with this partnership which supports investment in Egypt, assuring the importance of the presence of Al-Rajhi Company in the Egyptian market as it is the most important economic entity in the Middle East.
He said that the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities aims among it’s current plan to advance the tourism sector, to support the local, Arab and foreign private sectors, and enable them to participate in this renaissance by providing more facilities related to licensing and regulation.
He added that Egypt is currently witnessing a significant growth in the number of hotel rooms according to the plan set to increase tourism rates, as the number of tourists reached last April 2023 million and 350 thousand tourists, which is considered one of the highest rates in the history of Egyptian tourism, pointing that it is intended to reach the number of hotel rooms to half a million keys by 2028, and Egypt needs to increase the number of large companies to accelerate growth in this industry.
He pointed that the ministry’s next step is to ensure that the private sector benefits from the Law of the Federation and Tourist Chambers approved by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, which aims to enable the private sector to establish civil institutions that can transform ideas into studies used to influence the policy maker, to help in avoiding the existing gaps in this industry, in addition to creating a suitable environment to regulate this important industry.
He explained that the first half of last year 2022, Egypt received 5 million tourists, in addition to 7 million tourists in the second half of the same year, and January 2023 achieved a rate higher than its target, and it is planned to reach 15 million tourists by the end of 2023, and 20 million tourists in 2024, and 30 million tourists by 2028.
Eng. Abdulwahab Saleh Al-Rajhi the Saudi Al-Rajhi Group Chairman, and the founding partner of Akam Al-Rajhi, said that signing such an agreement aligns with the company’s vision and strategy in implementing a unique and different project in the North Coast and leaving an influential imprint in this promising and attractive investment region, noting that IHG Group and Voco brand owe a prestigious global position in the Middle East and Africa, through its presence in several locations in the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, thus it will be a very strong step as the first hotel resort branding “Voco” on the Mediterranean Sea, and will contribute in fulfilling the clients needs as the best and most entertaining destination in Egypt.
Eng.Essam Mansour Akam Al-Rajhi Chairman, expressed his happiness concerning the partnership with IHG Hotels and Resorts Group, to develop the New resort “Voco” in the company’s project in the Northwest Coast “Dose”, in Ras El-Hikma, as it is one of the most important investment areas on Egypt’s tourist map, during the current and coming period, due to the attractiveness of this charming area, which witnesses the presence of the third best beach in the world, where the company had choosen carefully to launch its first project “Dose”, with total investments estimated at 8 billion pounds on an area of 125 acres, with a number of new and unique services in this promising district.
Mansour added that the company’s strategy and plans during the coming period depend on expansion in the best vital areas in Egypt, which aligns with the country’s development plans, especially in coastal and new cities, which will directly contribute to place Egypt on the global tourism map and achieve sustainability in the region and the selection of distinguished and unique services to its clients, and this is what made us witness today the signing of this partnership with IHG Hotels &Resorts Group to manage and operate Dose project hotel in the North Coast, as the most distinguished brand with a well-deserved long-term reputation on the regional level and all over the world, pointing that on signing this protocol, both sides will achieve the best results for the project’s residents and for tourists who visit Egypt and will have new experiences inside “Voco” resort.
He explained that “Voco” Hotel and Resort will include 300 hotel rooms, chalets, and twin houses, directly on the beachfront from the seashore in the front part of the project, besides providing an endless and stunning 360-degree view of the beach and provides all the recreational and tourism services for the project, landscaping, artificial lakes, swimming pools, a health club, running and cycling paths, a shopping center and a water park named “Dose Aqua Park”, to provide the highest levels of comfort and happiness to our clients.
Edris Mohamed Akam Al-Rajhi CEO, expressed his happiness for this strategic partnership with IHG Hotels and Resorts Group, which aims to launch and develop a new Voco resort in Dose project, the company’s first works in the Egyptian market, which offers a new and innovative vision to create a coastal resort Capable to compete international ones, providing practical and substantial solutions to most of the challenges faced by clients in the North Coast before, which makes being inside the project a real pleasure for those looking for comfort, relaxation, luxury and life quality.
He assured that cooperation with IHG Hotels and Resorts Group, which enjoys a prominent regional and global position, constitutes a real attraction factor of the project, to provide a distinguished hospitality experience that aligns with Akam Al-Rajhi vision in presenting a different project in terms of the company’s philosophical thought of “humanizing real estate” and transforming our projects into vital societies, from which came the project’s name “Dose”, as an indicator on reaching the highest level of happiness through analysing human psychology and nature, and studying of the four hormones inside the human brain responsible for the secretion of happiness hormone automatically once the four hormones that cause happiness are achieved, in addition to taking into consideration the design and planning of the project to be one of the most competitive and attractive projects for clients, due to the intense expected competition in this region during the coming period, so it is planned to be one of the most competitive and attractive projects for clients in terms of services and activities, which make it the first destination for those seeking to enjoy and spend a unique and distinguished time inside a touristic project with international standards, on a beach with a sea front of 450 meters, in the middle of wide water bodies and open areas representing 70% of the project area, and 9 acres as artificial lakes to provide a water view for all units, even those which are far from the sea, will be directly viewing it, moreover more than 60% of the units are sea view, 30% have a full sea view, and 10% of the units only on the lakes and swimming pools, in addition to the presence of 30 tourist caves including private swimming pools to ensure privacy within a panoramic sea view.
Haitham Mattar IHG Hotels& Resorts in India, Middle East and Africa Chairman, said that they are pleased to launch Voco resort in the North Coast in Egypt, as it received nearly 5 million tourists in the first six months of 2022, and is looking forward to achieve its goal to reach 30 million tourists annually, according to its plans and strategy for 2030, which would enhance the importance of building new hotels and increase the number of hotel rooms, pointing that IHG Hotels and Resorts group enjoys a strong position in Egypt, and will continue their efforts to provide diverse and unique offers to guests who visit different destinations inside Egypt.
Matar pointed that “Voco” brand enjoys a privileged position, and enjoys wide popularity across our locations in the Middle East, as it provides a distinct experience for guests, assuring that Voco Resort in Dose project is the first for the group on the Mediterranean beach in the North Coast, and it will be the favorite choice for visitors, as it will present a modern and exceptional hotel, explaining that Voco brand, since its launching in 2018, achieved rapid growth and signed multiple agreements and contracts throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Matar indicated that IHG Hotels and Resorts Group is considered one of the most important international hospitality companies, and has 7 hotels in Egypt and is developing 10 other ones, and operates 81 hotel brands and owns more than 6,000 hotels opened in more than 100 countries, and more than 1,900 are under development and construction.
