Before the UAE-based Emaar Group even turned the first stone in Ras Soma, Egypt already had a world-class template for private, master-planned tourism: Soma Bay. The 10 km² peninsula south of Hurghada shows how the local private sector can build a fully integrated destination with resilient infrastructure, a coherent architectural identity, and long-term international hotel…

A Coast No One Mentioned In the early 1980s, Marsa Alam divers raved about Ras Mohammed and Hurghada. Meanwhile, three hours farther south, the shore was only dust tracks and Bedouin goat pens. Still, a few restless Red Sea guides and European club divers heard rumors of untouched reefs, playful spinner dolphins, and deep walls…

1. The Spark — Summer 1989 El Gouna started with a boat, a sandbar, and an impatient engineer. While cruising the Red Sea in 1989, Egyptian entrepreneur Samih Sawiris spotted an untouched sweep of coastline 25 kilometers north of Hurghada. He sketched a simple idea: “Why not anchor here, build a handful of beach houses,…

As the property sector chases data-driven returns, entire neighbourhoods are now being cloned in the cloud. From Nordic eco-harbours to Asian mega-airports, here’s how four cities are turning pixels into profits—and what developers everywhere can learn. 1. Helsinki, Finland — “Test-Before-You-Build” in Smart Kalasatama Helsinki’s 3D-plus programme has evolved into a city-wide digital twin that…