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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 November 1999 Issue No. 455 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 November 1999 Issue No. 455
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Get away from it all
By Rehab Saad
Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Profile Travel Books Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters A new resort, Cataract Pyramids resort, opened this week in Giza on the road to Saqqara. The LE250 million resort, built on an area of 20 feddans overlooking Marioutiya Lake, is characterised by its serene mix of simplicity and luxury. Palm trees are scattered everywhere, as are swimming pools and different food outlets.
The Cataract Pyramids, featuring 400 rooms and suites, is the first "resort," in the full meaning of the word, to be built in the Giza governorate. It is equipped with the most up-to-date facilities, including 11 restaurants, a business centre and a conference room that seats up to 1,000 people. "Instead of travelling to Hurghada or the Red Sea or Sharm Al-Sheikh, I can simply come here and enjoy the same facilities that I can have in any resort on the Red Sea," said Maha Rushdi, a Cairo resident spending a weekend at the resort.
Eman Mohamed, public relations manager of the Cataract Pyramids, hailed the facility as "a real resort in the countryside. It is in a place that is far from the hustle and bustle of the city but at the same time it is in the middle of everything. It is just 40 minutes from Cairo International Airport, 25 minutes from the city centre, 10 minutes from the great pyramids of Giza and 5 minutes from Saqqara step pyramids." Mohamed added that the hotel already has tourists from Italy, Spain, France and Germany, besides its Cairo residents.
"The timing of the inauguration of this big project is very suitable for Egypt," said Minister of Tourism Mamdouh El-Beltagui. "It is opened at the beginning of the winter season, the peak season of tourism in Egypt, and is opened at the time when we are preparing for the millennium festivities."
He added that Giza recorded the highest occupancy rates this season together with Cairo and the Red Sea. "Such projects provide good job opportunities for youth. One hotel room creates 3.2 direct and indirect job opportunities."
