Construction is ongoing at New Alamein for three universities, fifteen skyscrapers and high rise towers, and 10,000 hotel rooms. Work has begun on Phase II of the New Alamein megaproject, which includes ten additional coastal towers.
Everyone loves a Mediterranean city like Cannes, Athens, Venice, Malta and Tel Aviv. But the Arab world comes up short when it comes to pleasing western tourists. While the UAE is trying and Saudi Arabia trying even harder, Egypt thinks it can do better. The country, roiling from loss in tourism from the Hamas-Israel War hopes to make a comeback.
The country which relies on tourism for its GDP is building a new $183 billion seaside mega city, called New Alamein, in Egypt. They hope it will become the crown jewel of the Mediterranean, luring tourists away from traditional European holiday destinations such as France, Greece, Italy and Spain.
Nestled along the north coast and the Mediterranean Sea, the New Alamein City of Egypt will vie for tourist numbers in the Mediterranean. It will have white sandy beaches, the Mediterranean climate and present a vision of modernity – offering a salad of cultural richness and luxury.
Al Alamein New City is located in a site named after a battle that took place during the Second World War (WWII 1942).The Egyptian Government selected the site, with government material touting it to be “a sustainable city”. In fact, the site is rich in natural and historical resources; however, achieving sustainable development in Egypt implies overcoming multiple challenges. The most pressing challenges are institutional, financial, and managerial.
There is little to no material in English exploring the sustainability merit of the city. The late Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy, however, had some great ideas that have since fallen on deaf ears. Recent press material shows China pouring the first shovels of cement into the building site for a new tower, with no mention of sustainable materials or renewable energy.
The site has a waterfront on the Mediterranean that extends about 10 miles and includes WWII cemeteries.
