The Mediterranean coast remains one of the summer’s great tourist lures with droves of holidaymakers heading to the European coasts of Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey for decades. But what of the South Med?
But while any reference of the Mediterranean coast immediately conjures up visions of European ‘costas’, the southern coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea remain considerably undermarketed. Enter SouthMed.
South Med is a new development on the north coast of Egypt. In fact, the project is the largest tourist real estate project in the region – undertaken by the Talaat Moustafa Holding Group (TMG) – with aims to create a high-end destination promising a mix of residential and leisure options so luxurious that Hollywood icon Sylvester Stallone has even attached himself as the ‘face’ of the development’s promotional materials.
Despite much of the area’s grand plan yet to be open, early signs of SouthMed’s potential are there to see with visitors expecting luxury hotels and residential units, a marina suitable for fancy yachts, a variety of upmarket restaurants and clubs, and “a gigantic golf course right by the sea” – offering all the luxury beachside holiday of the northern coast, but with a whole new vibe.
One of the first showcase venues to open is Kyma – a pop-up from Dubai’s popular luxury beachclub – that opened for visitors this summer, while other major international brands are keeping tabs on how the project develops.
Whether people will decide to rerouting their summer getaways from the northern to the southern Mediterranean coast is yet to be seen, but if you put any stock in what Sly Stallone is saying then you’ll soon be on your way to Egypt’s SouthMed.