Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly presided over the signing of a strategic partnership between Sunrise Resorts & Hotels and Minor International, owner of the Anantara luxury brand, to develop and operate 50 new hotels across the country over the coming decade. The pact was inked by Hossam El-Shaer, Chairman of Sunrise, and William Heinecke, Chairman of Minor International, in the presence of Tourism Minister Sherif Fathi.
Under the joint venture — which also involves Madar Real Estate Development — the first phase will see four flagship hotels launched in Azha Ras El Hekma, Kenz New Zayed, and Azha Ain Sokhna. Minor will also bring its expertise to Nile cruise operations, inheriting management of several of Sunrise’s river vessels. The deal formalizes Minor’s entry into the Egyptian market at scale.
For Egypt, the agreement underscores tourism’s central role in the government’s development agenda. Madbouly emphasized that expanding hotel capacity via partnerships with international operators is key to raising Egypt’s global appeal as a destination. Sunrise, a homegrown heavyweight with more than 25 resorts across Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, and Ain Sokhna plus seven Nile cruise vessels, brings local market depth. Minor International, meanwhile, operates more than 640 hotels across 59 countries, managing over 80,000 rooms and thousands of restaurants under 50 brands.
The move arrives amid a tourism boom. In 2024, Egypt welcomed 15.7 million international visitors, generating $14.1 billion in revenues. Through H1 2025, arrivals rose 24 % year-over-year to 8.7 million, with revenues topping $8 billion. Central Bank of Egypt data covering July 2024–March 2025 shows tourism receipts increased 14.7 % year-on-year to $12.5 billion. Analysts foresee further upside: Fitch projects tourism earnings could reach $17.6 billion in 2025.
Experts view the Sunrise-Minor tie-up as a turning point in Egypt’s hospitality evolution. “Bringing a leading global operator like Minor signals confidence in Egypt’s trajectory as a tourism hub,” said Amr Hassan, an analyst at Cairo Capital. The joint venture could accelerate portfolio upgrades, improve service standards, and unlock foreign capital inflows — all vital if Egypt is to realize its Vision 2030 goal of attracting 30 million tourists annually.esktop
