Hilton Worldwide to open two hotels in Egypt

Hilton Worldwide, a unit of Blackstone Group, has agreed a deal with Egyptian Touristic Resorts to open two hotels in the Egyptian cities of Cairo and Alexandria. The two properties, the Hilton Giza Pyramids and the Hilton Alexandria King’s Ranch Resort, will take the number of hotels operated by the US-based firm in Egypt to 20, the operator said in a statement. The 390-room Hilton Giza Pyramids, which will feature views of the Pyramids and the Sphinx, is scheduled to open in 2016. The 195-room Hilton Alexandria King’s Ranch Resort, located close to the Borg Al Arab International Airport, will open at the end of 2013. “The two signings will add significant value to our current, extensive network of hotels and reaffirm our position as the country’s foremost hospitality company,” Rudi Jagersbacher, president, Hilton Worldwide, Middle East & Africa said in a statement. US-based Hilton Worldwide is ramping up its portfolio of hotels in the Middle East. The operator currently has 41 properties in its active pipeline in the region, comprising 11.5 percent of the entire MEA hotel pipeline under development, according to research by STR Global The firm has signed a record 20 properties in the last twelve months, including six hotels in the Jabal Omar Development in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The operator will also bring two new brands to the UAE with the opening of the Conrad Dubai and Waldorf Astoria in Ras Al Khaimah.