Minister of Housing Mostafa Madbouly revealed that a tender will be offered to construction companies to build a tourism centre in southern Marina early next year. He added that studies and plans are being undertaken for the project. Madbouly also said that another tender will be offered for global consulting companies in early 2015, and a detailed study will be prepared for development plans for the western north coast. He added that the development plan will consist of four new projects; including New Alamein city, set to be Egypt's first green sustainable city; a global tourism centre west of Marina that stretches 4km along the coast; a touristic zone south of Marina; and an amusement and environmental city. A mine clearance process has been undertaken for the areas in which the projects will be constructed. Madbouly stated that the ministry, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, is planning to build 100,000 hotel rooms for tourists, as only 3,000 rooms are located in the north coast at present. He added that the first phase of the plan will entail building an industrial zone south of New Alamein, a business zone, an educational zone, a medical centre, universities, renewable energy stations, and a global tourism centre which will take advantage of the Second World War panorama. Safari, environmental, and desert tourism activities will also be available in the area. Various plots of land were chosen for construction, the minister said, adding that the Marina project which will be located in a 3,000 acre area and will represent the start of real development for the north-western north coast and will include the construction of malls, hotels, and trading centres. The minister confirmed that a large number of the projects in the north coast and El Alamein will also be tendered through partnerships involving quotes or equitable ownership, affirming that the country's goal is to avoid private-ownership of project infrastructure. Private infrastructure ownership has previously caused many project delays and stoppages, he said, but the new system will allow the country to benefit from the revenues of these projects.
