CAIRO — Egypt is turning a World War II site into a resort that promises to beat other holiday destinations, such as Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada, and add a new destination to the international tourism map.

New Alamein City, near the northwestern coastal city of Marsa Matruh and a few miles from Egypt's border with Libya, is Egypt's latest attempt to redistribute its population, diversify its tourist product and expand its urban space.

The government is spending billions of dollars on the construction of the city, which will cover an area of 49 acres. It will contain a huge coastal tourist district with over 15,000 hotel rooms. The district will also contain a 14,000-kilometer (8,700-mile) promenade on the Mediterranean, the exact size of the seafront in the northern coastal city of Alexandria.

Skyscrapers, out of the mold of Dubai Towers, are sprouting in the same area, along with amusement parks, cinemas and theaters, and a huge commercial district. The city will also include a residential district, containing thousands of apartments for Egyptians with limited income.