They include famed architects like Gene Bates of the US, who designed the course of El-Gouna resort on the Red Sea, or golf champions like the South African Gary Player, reputedly one of the greatest golfers of all time, who designed the Cascades Golf and Country Club at Soma Bay, also on the Red Sea. They are planted in most of the new courses. The water used for irrigation is brackish and or treated sewage water. No hoses are used. Everything is automatic and computerised.
Golfers are much higher paying clients than the average traveller.
Each of the new golf resorts has a five-star hotel, either already in operation or about to be completed. Once a golfer tries them out they are expected to come again. Hani Yassa, general manager of Mirage City, said that traditional tourism in the last few years was not profitable as in earlier times, which is one of the reasons why investors are turning their attention to alternative and more profitable trends. According to golf investors, numerous golf courses in Egypt are an advantage. Each differs from the other, the landscape is varied, the courses either challenging or easy.