Invest Saudi, the Ministry of Investment’s (MISA) investment promotion agency, has brought together Rooh Al Reef Hotels Company, and ESG lifestyle hospitality operator Kerten Hospitality to develop community and sustainability-driven resorts throughout Saudi Arabia. 

 

The partnership will enhance the Kingdom’s hospitality offering, and create tangible benefits for local people, said a statement.

 

After Kerten Hospitality’s successful opening of The House Hotel City Yard lifestyle and community destination in Jeddah, it will now also launch its Cloud 7 brand in the Kingdom. 

 

Kerten Hospitality and Rooh Al Reef Hotels Company will first develop a unique high-end eco destination in Abha.

 

The project will be the first of a collection of locations that will offer unique experiences, connect communities, and deliver on the global ESG agenda. Subsequent locations will be driven by the National Tourism Strategy and will complement each other in motivating tourism and stimulating meaningful community development.   

 

The Abha resort will include 70 sustainable eco villas, suitable for both long- and short-term visits. A food and beverage offering that adopts a farm-to-fork approach will be complemented by business, wellness, entertainment and cultural facilities. This community-centric project will enhance the hospitality landscape in the Kingdom, and will create opportunities for local employment and training, local businesses, suppliers, and will be curated around events and experiences.

 

This project is launched just months after the announcement of the Sustainable Tourism Global Center by HRH Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, which will support travellers, governments, and the private sector to ensure that tourism enables growth and creates jobs, while playing its part to achieve the climate goals laid out in the Paris Agreement.

 

Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality, said: “Having spent time in Abha I can say with full confidence that we are thrilled to start this journey with Rooh Al Reef Hotels Company, visionary owners who understand that the future lays in personalised experiences, ESG, lifestyle, and tailoring a product that attracts a local, national and international audience, and I am thankful to Ministry of Tourism and His Excellency the Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb for driving the ESG agenda and facilitating these new type of hospitality projects that will get a global interest!” 

 

Majed AlGhanim, Managing Director of Tourism and Quality of Life Sector at the Ministry of Investment in Saudi Arabia, said: “We are glad to have contributed to this partnership between two forward-looking hospitality players who have embarked on the task to create a unique lifestyle destination that will support our socioeconomic growth and the transformation of the Kingdom into a regional tourism beacon in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.”

 

The agreement further supports Kerten Hospitality’s relationship with Ministry of Investment who are committed to expanding and growing investments in the country, where tourism will play a pivotal role. 

 

As hospitality and sustainability are key pillars in Saudi Vision 2030, the creation of employment opportunities, human capital upskilling and doubling the hotel opportunities as a significant revenue source have been placed at the forefront of the socioeconomic development in the country, said the statement. - TradeArabia News Service