431-room Nile Hilton Hotel to become a Ritz-Carlton

Ritz-Carlton is to convert the 431-room Nile Hilton, strategically located along the famous river in the heart of bustling downtown Cairo, to a full-fledged Ritz-Carlton hotel after an extensive renovation period.

Owned by Misr Hotels, a subsidiary of The Holding Company for Tourism, Hotels and Cinema, the hotel will initially be re-branded as The Nile Hotel, Cairo on January 1, 2009 and will continue to welcome guests to enjoy its services and facilities. A complete restoration and renovation of the half-century old property will commence in mid 2009 for approximately 18 to 24 months.

“Our selection of The Ritz-Carlton is based on a very strict assessment of the company’s renowned stature in the hospitality industry,” said Aly Abdel Aziz, chairman and chief executive officer of The Holding Company for Tourism, Hotels and Cinema. “The presence of The Ritz-Carlton in the heart of the city, paralleled with the extensive efforts of the Egyptian government to upgrade and improve the entire infrastructure of the industry is an affirmation of its serious commitment to attract new development projects and improve the entire investment environment in Egypt.”

Ritz-Carlton enjoys a significant presence in the region with five hotels and resorts in Bahrain, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Recently confirmed future properties include Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Dubai International Financial Centre. The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo will be the first for the company in the capital city, and the second in the country after The Ritz-Carlton, Sharm El Sheikh.

“We also continue to explore other opportunities and destinations in the country,” said Simon F. Cooper, president and chief operating officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. “With the growth in tourism, the increasing strength of the Egyptian economy, the sustained development of the infrastructure required, and the investment support from within the Egyptian tourism and hospitality sector, we see expansion within Egypt to be an important future strategy.”

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