There are numerous reasons to consider investing in property in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh.

Sharm El Sheikh is an elite destination, with a wonderful combination of sea, gulf, and mountain scenery and is definitely the best-known town of the southern Sinai, for the simple reason that it was Sharm el-Sheikh which gave the Red Sea an international reputation as one of the world's most stunning diving destinations. And the coral reefs of Ras Mohammed, Tiran, and the Aqaba coast, on which Sharm built its legendary reputation, are as dazzling as ever.

Today, however, diving is only part of the attraction here, as many visitors arrive simply to enjoy the sun, to parasail and windsurf and bicycle, or to explore the magical desert landscape of the southern Sinai. Since the mid-1980s, the Sharm el-Sheikh area has come into its own as the most popular tourist destination in the region and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with Sharm el-Sheikh international airport being the second busiest airport in Egypt (after Cairo) and well served by charter and scheduled flights to mainland Europe and the United Kingdom from a new, upgraded terminal operating since 2007. Sharm el-Sheikh is also the home of a state of the art congress center, where many political meetings have been held of international tenure. Peace conferences, ministerial meetings, World Bank meetings, Arab league conferences and the World Economic Forum to mention a few.

Sharm el-Sheikh is very much Egypt's tourist showcase town and receives more visitors than any other tourist destination on the Red Sea, leading to a wide range of activities available, including a vibrant nightlife and two golf courses, with national parks at both ends of the town. For those who live to shop, Sharm el-Sheikh modern malls and traditional markets provide both foreign and local products, including jewellery, leather goods, clothing, pottery and anything else you should find in Egypt.

With strict environmental controls meaning that only low-rise, low-density complexes are allowed to avoid obscuring the natural beauty of the surroundings, plus the fact that the town has only existed for little over 20 years, Sharm el-Sheikh is a very clean, safe and modern tourist resort with all of the facilities that European visitors and residents require.

Billed one of the most beautiful cities on earth, it's no wonder the world's heads of state keep coming back: It's one of the most idyllic vacation spots in the world. Perched on the southern-most tip of the Sinal Peninsula, Sharm is actually a series of bays nestled in between graceful mountain ranges that offer a picturesque backdrop that mesmerizes local and international tourists alike

The most famous and developed of Sharm's bays is Na'ama, where pioneering hotels, resorts and diving centers first took up residense in the early 1980s. Na'ama Bay is bustling with activity at all hours. Its numerous beachside cafes and restaurants are both inviting and unpretentious. Whether you enjoy scuba diving, windsurfing, waterskiing or just soaking up the rays of the brilliant sun that never seems to hide behind clouds, you'll find something of interest in Na'ama Bay.

Although tourism in Sharm revolves around marine sports and the diving industry, a couple of new resorts offer pure relaxation without the pressure to dive. The Movenpick Golf resort, with it's 18 hole golf course, clubhouse and spa, is attracting golf enthusiast from around the world. The Ritz Carlton sits in the middle of 100,000 sq meters of lush landscape. Famous for it's luxurious cliff-top spa, the Ritz can be a vacation in and of itself.

About Sharm El Sheikh

History of Sharm El Sheikh 

Sharm El Sheikh, is a city situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in South Sinai Governorate, Egypt, on the coastal strip between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai with a population of approximately 35,000.
Sharm El Sheikh is the administrative hub of Egypt's South Sinai Governorate which includes the smaller coastal towns of Dahab and Nuweiba as well as the mountainous interior, Saint Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai. Sharm el-Sheikh is known as The City of Peace referring to the large number of international peace conferences that have been held there. Sharm El Sheikh (27°51?N 34°17?E) is on a promontory overlooking the Straits of Tiran at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba. Its strategic importance led to its transformation from a fishing village into a major port and naval base for the Egyptian Navy.
Before 1967, Sharm El Sheikh was little more than an occasional base of operations for local fishermen; the nearest permanent settlement was in Nabq, north of Ras el-Nasrani ("The Tiran Straits"). Commercial development of the area began during the Israeli presence in the area. The Israelis built the town of Ofira overlooking Sharm el-Maya Bay, and the Nesima area, and opened the first tourist-oriented establishments in the area six kilometers north at Naama Bay. These included a marina hotel on the southern side of the bay, a nature field school on the northern side, diving clubs, a now well-known promenade, and the Naama Bay Hotel. After the Sinai was restored to Egypt in 1982, the Egyptian government embarked on an initiative to encourage continued development of the city. Foreign investors - some of whom had discovered the potential of the locality during the Israeli occupation - contributed to a spate of building projects. Environmental zoning laws currently limit the height of buildings in Sharm el-Sheikh so as to avoid obscuring the natural beauty of the surroundings.
The city has played host to a number of important Middle Eastern peace conferences, including the September 4, 1999 agreement to restore Palestinian self-rule over the Gaza Strip. A second summit was held at Sharm on October 17, 2000 following the outbreak of the second Palestinian intifada, but it failed to end the violence. A summit was held on August 3, 2005 in this city on developments in the Arab world such as the situation in Iraq and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Climate

Average temperatures during the winter months (November to March) range from 15 to 35 degrees Celsius (59-95°F) and during the summer months (April to October) from 20 to 45 degrees Celsius (68-113°F). The temperature of the Red Sea in this region ranges from 21 to 28 degrees Celsius (70-84°F) over the course of the year.

Economy and tourism

Sharm El Sheikh was formerly a port, but commercial shipping has been greatly reduced as the result of strict environmental laws introduced in the 1990s. Until 1982, there was only a military port in Sharm El Sheikh, on the northern part of Marsa Bareka. The civilian port development started in the mid 1980s when the Sharem-al-Maya bay became the city's main yacht and service port.
Sharm el-Sheikh's major industry is foreign and domestic tourism, owing to its dramatic landscape, year-round dry and temperate climate and long stretches of natural beaches. Its waters are clear and calm for most of the year and have become popular for various watersports, particularly recreational scuba diving and snorkeling which some consider to be among the best in the world. Coral reefs, under water and marine life offer a spectacular and dazzling time for divers. There is wide room for scientific tourism with diversity in marine life species; 250 different coral reefs and 1000 species of fish.
These natural resources, together with its proximity to European tourism markets, have stimulated the rapid growth of tourism that the region is currently experiencing. Guest nights also increased in that period of time from 16 thousands to 5.1 million. The total number of resorts increased from 3 in 1982 to 91 in 2000. Highly reputable management companies have been attracted to invest in this city such as Hyatt Regency, Accor, Marriott, Le Méridien, Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, and others, with categories from three to five stars. In 2007 the area saw the opening of its first aqua park hotel resort. The 4 star Aqua Blu Sharm Resort was built on the Ras Om El Seid it boasts an impressive area of 133905 m². Famous chains like Starbucks, Hard Rock Cafe, McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken can be found in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Sharm is also the home of a state of the art congress center, where many political meetings have been held of international tenure. Peace conferences, ministerial meetings, world bank meetings, Arab league conferences for mentioning a few. It is rightly located along peace road and have been lately re-branded to be a Maritim outlet. The Maritim Sharm el-Sheikh International Congress Centre can host events and congresses for up to 4,700 participants.
The nightlife of Sharm El-Sheikh is modern and developed. In 2005, Little Buddha, a sushi bar, nightclub, and bar, took the title of having the longest continuous bar in the Middle East. Other popular bars include the Camel Bar, The Tavern, Pirate's Bar, Movenpick Beach, and The Mexican. Dance club franchise Pacha has one of its three African clubs in Sharm (the other two are in Morocco and Nigeria). These nightclubs and restaurants contribute greatly to the lifestyle led by Sharm el-Sheikh's visitors each year.
The colorful handicraft stands of the local Bedouin culture are a popular attraction. Ras Mohammed, at the southern-most tip of the peninsula, has been designated a national park, serving to protect the area's wildlife as well as its natural landscape, shoreline and coral reef. A number of international hotels and noted restaurants are clustered around the centre of Sharm, known as Naama Bay, with golf courses and other leisure facilities further up the coast.
Outings to places such as Cairo and the Great Pyramids require a crossing of a continental boarder (crossing from Asia to Africa) which requires a travel visa that must be acquired from Sharm el Sheik airport.

Transportation

Sharm's marina has been redeveloped for private yachts and sailboats, with a passenger terminal for cruise ships and scheduled ferry service to Hurghada and Aqaba.
Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport in addition to scheduled flights to Cairo, Hurghada, Luxor, Alexandria and 5 weekly flights to London (Gatwick), Sharm's airport is served by frequent charter flights to Italy, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium and the United Kingdom, among other destinations.
British Airways now operates direct scheduled services from London Gatwick to Sharm-el-Sheikh on Saturdays, Mondays and Thursdays. Thomson Airways operates chartered services seven days a week from UK airports.
Sharm has frequent good quality coach services to Cairo leaving from the Delta Sharm bus station. There are three companies on the route charging between 70 and 100 LE in 2008 for the 6 hour journey.

Scuba diving and water sports

Sharm el-Sheikh has also become a favourite spot for Scuba divers from around the world. Being situated near to the Red Sea, it provides some of the most stunning underwater scenery and warm water making this an ideal place to dive. Visitors to Sharm el-Sheikh can experience a variety of water and activities. Beach seekers find many activities such as diving, snorkelling, wind surfing, kite surfing, para-sailing, boating, and canoeing.
Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800-metre (2,600 ft) deep reef walls, pounding current and coral gardens.
The Sharm el-Sheikh Hyperbaric Medical Center was founded in 1993 with a grant from USAID by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism, represented by Dr Adel Taher to assist with diving related illnesses and complete the area's reputation as a full-service dive destination.