사우디 PIF, 홍해 호화 휴양단지 '아마알라' 건설 Saudi Arabia courts uber-lux travellers with Red Sea project

Saudi Arabia courts uber-lux travellers with Red Sea project

PIF will provide the initial funding for the luxury development and offer partnerships to the private sector at a later stage

Sarmad Khan

September 27, 2018

Saudi Arabia is developing Amaala, a luxury destination on the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia. Courtesy Amaala

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is launching an uber-luxury project for international tourists, adding another mega development to the list of projects the sovereign wealth fund is planning for the Red Sea coast.

thenational.ae

사우디 PIF, 홍해 호화 휴양단지 '아마알라' 건설  내년 1분기 착공 2028년 완공   사우디아라비아 국영 공공투자펀드(PIF)는 사우디 북서부 홍해 변에 호화 휴양단지 '아마알라'를 건설하는 사업을 시작한다고 26일(현지시간) 밝혔다. 이 사업은 내년 1분기 착공돼 2028년 완공을 목표로 추진된다. 아마알라에는 홍해 변의 아름다운 자연환경을 이용한 명상과 '웰빙 관광'에 주안점을 둔 고급 리조트와 호텔, 요트 클럽, 예술 교육 시설이 들어설 예정이다. PIF는 "아마알라는 지중해의 자연을 그대로 옮겨놓아 "중동의 리비에라(프랑스 남부와 이탈리아 북서부 해안을 잇는 세계적 휴양지)로 불릴 수 있는 고급 휴양지가 될 것"이라고 기대했다. 아마알라의 규모와 투자금액은 구체적으로 공개되지는 않았다. 초기 자금은 PIF가 투자하고 나머지는 민간 투자를 받는 방식으로 사업이 추진될 전망이다. 사우디는 탈(脫)석유 시대를 대비하고 지나치게 석유에 의존하는 경제 구조를 바꾸려고 보수적인 이슬람이 지배하는 관습으로 부진했던 관광 사업에 대규모로 투자하고 있다. 이날 발표된 아마알라 사업 용지의 북쪽엔 초대형 신도시 사업인 '네옴'이 추진되고 있으며, 남쪽으로는 홍해 관광단지 프로젝트가 진행되고 있다. PIF는 "아마알라는 네옴과 홍해 관광단지 프로젝트와 인접한 지역에 들어설 것"이라며 "사우디 경제의 다원화를 위한 초대형 투자 포트폴리오의 일부다"라고 설명했다. 이들 사업은 모두 PIF가 주도하고 있다. PIF는 사우디의 경제·사회 개혁 정책의 설계자라고 할 수 있는 무함마드 빈살만 왕세자가 운영한다. (테헤란=연합뉴스) 강훈상 특파원 hskang@yna.co.kr

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The fund will provide the initial funding for Amaala and has appointed hospitality industry veteran Nicholas Naples as the chief executive of the project, PIF said in a statement on Wednesday. As the project progresses, "attractive partnership and investment packages will be available for the private sector", PIF said, without specifying either the total cost of the development or the partnerships it will offer to the private investors.

“Our concept will provide a rich service offering that exceeds customers’ expectations by providing a comprehensive suite of services not commonly found in one location that is unique by all measures,” Mr Naples said. “The Amaala experience will be enhanced by its setting, spread across untouched natural sites.”

PIF, the kingdom’s main investment arm which holds stakes in local and international companies such as electric car maker Tesla, is central to Riyadh’s economic diversification agenda. The fund, which manages $250bn of assets, is building Neom, a $500bn (Dh1.8 trillion) futuristic business and industrial city, which extends into Egypt and Jordan. PIF's other development called The Red Sea Project includes a nature reserve and heritage sites on about 50 islands.

Amaala will sit alongside Neom and the Red Sea Project within the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Natural Reserve, helping to establish a unique tourism ecosystem, PIF said.

The development will add 2,500 hotel rooms to the kingdom’s growing hotel sector and will feature 700 private residential villas along with a retail area with 200 outlets. Amaala will also feature an academy of the arts that aims to further develop young artists from Saudi Arabia and the broader region.

The 3,000 square kilometre development, which will be spread across the three sites, will have its own airport and target the top tier of global luxury travellers, PIF said.

     Saudi Arabia is developing Amaala, a luxury destination on the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia. Courtesy 

     Amaala

“As envisioned in Vision 2030, Amaala – along with the other giga-projects - will support the diversification of Saudi Arabia’s leisure and tourism industry, while promoting cultural conservation, ecological preservation and sustainability,” PIF said.

Besides the three Read Sea projects, PIF is also developing Qiddiya, a vast entertainment resort being built on a 334 square kilometre site, a parcel two-and-a-half times the size of Disney World.

The project is an hour’s drive from capital Riyadh and will include a Six Flags theme park, water parks, motor sports, cultural events and vacation homes. It is expected to attract 1.5 million visitors annually when the first phase opens in 2022.

https://www.thenational.ae/business/economy/saudi-arabia-courts-uber-lux-travellers-with-red-sea-project-1.774515

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