Egypt’s biggest developer, led by billionaire Hisham Talaat Moustafa, doubles down on tourism with plan to build one of the Middle East’s biggest hotel portfolios

Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG), long known for building sprawling residential communities across Egypt, plans to nearly double its hotel portfolio over the next decade as it pivots toward hospitality, entertainment and recurring income.

• Egypt’s largest listed developer, Talaat Moustafa Group, plans to nearly double its hotel portfolio to as many as 40 properties over the next decade.
• The move comes as hospitality generates more than half of the company’s recurring income, reducing reliance on property sales.
• The expansion builds on an $800 million acquisition of seven landmark hotels and new partnerships with global luxury brands.
• It also aligns with Egypt’s ambition to become one of the world’s fastest-growing tourism destinations.

Chief Executive Hisham Talaat Moustafa said the company aims to expand from about 20 hotels today to between 35 and 40 properties, transforming hospitality into a business that rivals its traditional real estate operations.

The strategy reflects a broader shift taking place across the Middle East, where developers are investing heavily in tourism, luxury hospitality and mixed-use destinations to create more stable income streams beyond cyclical property sales.

Speaking to Al Arabiya Business, Moustafa said the expansion will deepen links between the group’s residential communities, hotels and entertainment assets, creating integrated destinations where people can live, work and spend.

The numbers suggest the transition is already underway. Hotel revenue climbed 21% in the first quarter to about $90 million (4.3 billion Egyptian pounds).

Occupancy rose to 63% from 60% a year earlier, while average room rates increased 15% to around $285 (13,677 Egyptian pounds) a night.

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More significantly, recurring income now contributes 53% of the group’s consolidated revenue, reducing its dependence on property sales and providing a steadier source of earnings.

The expansion has been accelerated by acquisitions. TMG’s hospitality arm, ICON, acquired a 39% stake with management control in Legacy Hospitality, the owner of seven of Egypt’s best-known historic hotels, in a transaction worth up to $800 million.

The stake is expected to increase to 51%, while Saudi investors linked to the Public Investment Fund have also joined the consortium.

The acquisition gives TMG control over some of Egypt’s most iconic tourism assets, including the Winter Palace in Luxor and the Old Cataract in Aswan.

To reposition the properties, the group has partnered with several of the world’s leading luxury hotel operators.

Mandarin Oriental will manage the Winter Palace and Old Cataract following extensive restoration, while Four Seasons and Steigenberger are taking over other flagship developments.

TMG is also building new Four Seasons hotels in Luxor and Madinaty, alongside a luxury resort in Marsa Alam and a mixed-use development next to the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Beyond hotels, Moustafa revealed that TMG is preparing a major entertainment project with Gulf investors, describing leisure and entertainment as one of the region’s fastest-growing industries.

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The move aligns with Egypt’s broader ambition to transform tourism into one of its largest sources of foreign currency.

The government has invested heavily in airports, museums, coastal resorts and hospitality infrastructure while targeting a sharp increase in international visitor arrivals over the coming years.

TMG’s strong financial position is helping fund the expansion. First-quarter net profit rose 24% to approximately $115 million (5.5 billion Egyptian pounds), while revenue climbed 39% to $273 million (13.1 billion Egyptian pounds).

Contracted sales reached $1 billion (49.1 billion Egyptian pounds) during the quarter, with cash and cash equivalents standing at roughly $1.8 billion (86.7 billion Egyptian pounds) at the end of March.

The company is also expanding beyond Egypt. Its Banan City development in Riyadh generated about $69 million (3.3 billion Egyptian pounds) in first-quarter sales, while two projects in Oman contributed another 900 million Egyptian pounds, highlighting TMG’s ambition to become a regional developer rather than one focused solely on Egypt.

Founded in the early 1970s, Talaat Moustafa Group has grown into one of the Middle East’s largest integrated real estate companies, with a land bank exceeding 125 million square metres across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Oman.

Its flagship developments include Al Rehab, Madinaty, Celia, Noor City and the SouthMED coastal project, a $21 billion tourism development on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast that underscores the company’s long-term bet on travel, hospitality and destination-led growth.