Saudi Arabia's Tourism Development Fund (TDF) said it has signed a finance agreement with Golden Frond Hotel Services Company, a subsidiary of the Afyaa Group, to build a five-star ecolodge in the kingdom's Al Ahsa region.

 

To be operated by ENVI Lodges - an eco-friendly, premium quality luxury lodge brand - the new resort will boast 25 lodging pods featuring one- and two-bedroom units as well as several key facilities including farm-to-table dining units as well as spa, local arts and crafts, and a selection of unique activities. 

 

Designed by Thai-based Fractal Architects and award-winning design firm Kristina Zanic, the ENVI Al Nakheel resort is the first branded eco-lodge in Saudi Arabia to be developed by the private sector and funded by the TDF. It is expected to open in the first quarter of 2024.

 

The project development will be managed by Compass and BIC, it added.

 

TDF Chief Executive Qusai bin Abdullah Al-Fakhri said: "We are pleased with our partnership with Golden Frond to develop the ENVI Al Nakheel in Al-Ahsa Oasis. This distinctive project is compatible with our goals of promoting sustainable tourism." 

 

"Al-Ahsa is distinguished by its historical and cultural heritage sites, as it is one of the most important destinations within the focus of the National Tourism Strategy, aiming at raising the number of tourism opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030," stated Al Fakhri after signing the deal with Golden Frond Hotel Services Company CEO Engineer Abbas Al Saleh on the sidelines of the ongoing Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) in Riyadh.

 

The agreement demonstrates the commitment of both parties to advance sustainable tourism development, in line with the objectives of KSA’s National Tourism Strategy and the Kingdom's Vision 2030. 

 

The summit, which concludes tomorrow (May 9), has attracted participation from senior government officials and executives from the tourism and hospitality industry, as well as prominent developers, investors, hotel owners and operators.

 

On the key project, Al Saleh said: "We are grateful for TDF’s support to develop this project, as it represents a milestone in the Saudi tourism industry. We look forward to working together to create unforgettable experiences for tourists that complement our commitment to preserving the unique cultural and natural heritage of Al Ahsa Oasis."

 

According to TDF, the agreement ratifies the importance of the Al Ahsa Region, which is one of the ten targeted tourist destinations and home to one of the largest oases in the world. 

 

It is the first site in the region to be registered on the Unesco World Heritage List because of its rich archaeological features, which show evidence of human settlement in the region since the Neolithic era. 

 

These historical attractions make Al Ahsa the ideal location to create tourism facilities where visitors can enjoy its beauty and charm, it added. 

 

Chris Nader, the Co-founder of ENVI Lodges, said the Saudi TDF is an invaluable partner for private investors like Golden Frond Hotel Services, who want to develop qualitative tourism projects in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030.

 

The ENVI Al Nakheel project will raise the level of tourism offerings in the Kingdom through cultural diversity, traditional methods of construction, and cutting-edge design features, he added.-TradeArabia News Service