Gulf Construction Online - New mountain tourism project for Neom

Saudi Focus

Trojena will feature a ski village and ultra-luxury family and wellness resorts.

New mountain tourism project for Neom

01 April 2022

HRH Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Chairman of the Neom Company Board of Directors, last month launched Trojena, a new global destination for mountain tourism that will take shape in the $500-billion futuristic megacity Neom.

Trojena is situated in the centre of Neom, 50 km from the Gulf of Aqaba coast, in a region characterised by a mountain range with the highest peaks in Saudi Arabia at approximately 2,600 m above sea level.

Prince Mohammed said: ““Trojena will be an important addition to tourism in the region, a unique example of how Saudi Arabia is creating destinations based on its geographical and environmental diversity. This forward-looking vision will ensure that mountain tourism will be another revenue stream to support the kingdom’s economic diversification while still preserving its natural resources for future generations.”

Trojena features a unique and innovative architecture, here the captivating landscapes of Neom mountains coexist in harmony with the tourist sites developed within them, offering a new and unprecedented tourism experience.

The new year-round tourist destination will consist of a series of facilities such as a ski village, ultra-luxury family and wellness resorts, a wide range of retail stores and restaurants, in addition to sports activities, including a ski slope, watersports and mountain biking, as well as an interactive nature reserve. The project is set for completion by 2026.

Trojena is expected to attract 700,000 visitors and 7,000 permanent residents to live in the mountain tourism destination and its adjacent residential districts by 2030.

Highlights of the development include the all-year ski village; a stunning man-made freshwater lake; ‘The Bow’ Hotel, an architectural masterpiece that will offer an unrivalled hotel experience; and the Vault, a vertical village within the mountain with a fusion of technology, entertainment and hospitality facilities that will provide the main gateway into Trojena.

The development will also include the ‘Slope Residences,’ which will be located near the ski slope overlooking the lake, designed to blend in with the surrounding landscape, as well as luxurious mansions with panoramic views designed to reflect the beauty of the environment.

Trojena will be made up of six districts: Gateway, Discover, Valley, Explore, Relax and Fun, all of which are designed to offer activities catering to a variety of tastes and needs. It will be developed according to architectural specifications that consider environmental sustainability, preservation of all living organisms and nature. The region is characterised by clean air, beautiful landscapes and climatic diversity, where temperatures drop below zero degrees Celsius in winter, while the average temperature throughout the year remains 10 degrees Celsius lower than other cities across the region.

Meanwhile, Neom has announced the launch of its new subsidiary company Enowa, which will lead the development of its world-class, sustainable energy and water systems.

Work has already begun to provide the critical infrastructure for Neom’s key projects: The Line, its revolutionary urban development; Oxagon, its reimagined industrial city; and Trojena, its sustainable mountain tourism destination.

Oxagon is actively seeking tenants for its manufacturing hub, and supply of energy and water is essential.

Enowa represents Neom as the principal shareholder in the world’s largest green hydrogen production plant in an equal joint venture with Air Products and Acwa Power. Coming onstream in 2025, the green hydrogen plant is expected to be the first of several similar plants to make Neom a hub for green hydrogen production and innovation. Work on the $5-billion plant was expected to start last month, according to a Bloomberg report.

Engineers have finished flattening the site and US-based Air Products & Chemicals was due to begin building the facility, said the report quoting Peter Terium, the head of energy and water for the new region.

Neom’s water and wastewater system is designed to be completely sustainable, delivering low-cost water to all residents and businesses in the futuristic city. Powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, the advanced desalination plants will not put anything back into the sea and will deliver drinkable, mineralised water to all in Neom, directly to the tap or out of a bottling plant.