One man’s dream that began twenty years ago – to primarily create a relaxing haven on the virgin lands of the Red Sea – has become an example of a remarkable fully fledged town.  Today, this prize-winning company is a leading developer of integrated towns with a strong foothold in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The Group’s greatest triumphs to date are the fully fledged towns of El Gouna and Taba Heights both in Egypt and The Cove in the United Arab Emirates.

The organization’s rich and diversified  portfolio of projects includes both existing and pipeline properties in Africa, the Middle East and Europe including; Andermatt in Switzerland, Lustica in Montenegro, Cornwall in the United Kingdom , Chbika in Morocco,  Tala Bay in Jordan  and Salalah beach and Jebel Sifah in the Sultanate of Oman, to name a few. 

These developments boast an amazing 31 hotels with approximately 7,000 rooms, a land bank of approximately  141 million sqm and a proud workforce of approximately  18,500 employees. In 2008, Orascom Development achieved total revenues of CHF 568 million, a gross profit of CHF 162 million and  profit for the year of CHF 116 million ; placing global expansion at the very top of its agenda.

The first of their remarkable projects, El Gouna, is the largest destination and now acts as the benchmark for all upcoming developments. What started out as a small town with a small collection of houses for a certain number of home owners has bloomed into a fully self-sufficient town with a strong infrastructure and bears the Orascom Development mark of quality. Following its success in El Gouna, Orascom Development became a key player in integrated township development locally and globally; successfully heading towards long term sustainability of its towns. From the earliest planning stage, the company considers every aspect of the community’s needs; from various amenities, to distinct infrastructure to successful governance. This holistic approach to services, amenities, and management distinguishes the resulting projects from their closest competitors. As the company’s mission states ‘We are not developers, we are community creators’. In creating living communities and transforming ordinary settings into exquisite destinations, Orascom Development has proven to exist as a trendsetter. By presenting an ultimate combination of what the market wants and the best quality that ideally fits every market segment it partakes in, the organization has managed to constantly stand out.

More recently, it was announced that Orascom Development has been awarded the much-prized contract to develop the eco-friendly town near St Austell Cornwall in south west England.

Stretching further into the European continent, Orascom Development applied its best practice models on a global scale. Located within one of the finest countries in Europe that is home to picturesque scenery and legendary mountain ranges, Andermatt is positioned to be Orascom Development’s most prominent project in the European continent to date. 

Founded by Egyptian businessman Samih Sawiris in1989, the company has managed to become an icon in the real estate arena. Post the reorganization of the Group, Orascom Development’s headquarters is now located in Altdorf, Switzerland  with a primary listing on the main board of  the SIX (Swiss Stock Exchange) and a secondary listing in the form of EDRs (Egyptian Depositary Reciepts) on the EGX (Egyptian Stock Exchange) has contributed to its transformation into a multinational renowned developer.

By providing convenient and relaxing destinations tailored to every taste and every intellect, Orascom Development’s portfolio of projects manages to offer a vital combination of what the market wants; a recipe fit for global success.  At a time when urbanization, population growth and environmental prudence are all pressing factors, Orascom Development can bring its community led ideology, transforming virgin lands into eco-friendly living communities.