IHG confirms voco resort for Egypt

IHG Hotels and Resorts has signed a management agreement with Akam Al Rajhi, a joint venture between AkamAlRajhi and Al Rajhi Saudi groups, to expand its presence within the Middle East and Africa.

The agreement involved the signing of the first voco resort in the Middle East and Africa. It will be located along Egypt’s North Coast, a few minutes from Alexandria Matrouh and a 23km drive away from Egypt’s new Al Alamein airport.

Scheduled to open in December 2026, the 300-key voco North Coast will include low-rise buildings, chalets and townhouses built on the beachfront. The property will be a part of the DOSE Village North Coast gated community.

Voco North Coast will feature artificial lakes, a swimming pool, spa, health club, running and biking tracks, a shopping mall, a waterpark (DOSE Aqua Park) and several dining options. The resort will also offer meeting and events spaces, totaling approximately 1,375 sqm.

Haitham Mattar, managing director for India, the Middle East and Africa at IHG, said, “We are excited to bring the first voco resort in the region to the North Coast of Egypt. The country welcomed nearly 5 million tourists in the first six months of 2022 and has a target to reach 30 million tourists annually under its 2030 objectives, heightening the importance of new build hotels and an increase in rooms. We have a strong existing pipeline in Egypt, and we remain committed to our expansions and growth plans in the country.”

Edrees Mohamed, CEO of Akam Al Rajhi Developments, added, “We are pleased to embark on this strategic partnership with the IHG Hotels and Resorts Group, which aims to launch and develop a new voco resort in the Dose project, the company’s first business in the Egyptian market, which offers a new and innovative idea to create a coastal resort.”

The North Coast of Egypt stretches 1,050km along the Mediterranean Sea, and is a growing destination for Egypt’s leisure offerings. IHG currently operates seven hotels in Egypt across brands including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, and Staybridge Suites, with 10 hotels in the development pipeline.

In March, IHG signed a management agreement with Arabella Group to open three new new-build hotels in Egypt between 2023 and 2026. The hotels – InterContinental North Coast Direction White, voco Cairo Arabella Plaza Cairo, and Crowne Plaza Cairo Arabella Clubhouse – will cumulatively add over 500 keys to IHG’s Egypt portfolio.

Subsequently, IHG also partnered with Arkan Palm for Real Estate Investment to build two new hotels in Egypt’s capital of Cairo. The InterContinental West Cairo 205 is scheduled to open in January 2028, while the voco West Cairo 205 Suites will open by June 2026.

This article originally appeared on Business Traveller Middle East