Nicholas Naples, Chief Executive Officer, AMAALA, talks to CBNME about the latest developments around AMAALA and the projects impact on tourism and real estate in Saudi Arabia
Overview of AMAALA
AMAALA is an exclusive offering, set within the Prince Mohammad bin Salman Natural Reserve, which epitomises serene luxury. AMAALA seeks to strike an emotional chord with guests, crafting a comfortable, relaxed, and unhurried atmosphere, that touches upon the senses, attracting both regional and international visitors.
Built with sustainability at its core, AMAALA’s trio of communities – Triple Bay, The Coastal Development and the Island – will represent three different sets of experiences for visitors.
- Triple Bay will be the world’s most comprehensive wellness retreat supported by top-tier luxury medical and integrative wellness resorts, and numerous recreational activities. Triple Bay will also be home to a sports performance academy, an equestrian resort and polo academy and world-class sports facilities including golf, tennis, equestrian, polo, camel and falconry
- The Coastal Development will be home to leading arts and cultural events, and feature a cultural district comprised of a museum of contemporary art, a film festival venue, performing arts venues and a biennale park
- The Island will become one of the world’s most exclusive enclaves, offering exquisitely designed Arabic botanical gardens showcasing works of art, sculptures and breath-taking landscapes, surrounding beautifully appointed private residences
Starting with Triple Bay, we aim to have the entire project completed ahead of the realisation of Saudi Vision 2030.
Uniqueness of AMAALA
First and foremost, it is a fresh, new concept – not just in Saudi Arabia but within the region. AMAALA will be a one-of-a-kind destination serviced by its own airport, with state-of-the-art housing, sporting, yachting, and diving facilities. Each community within the AMAALA fold will represent world-class standards in innovation, design, and service delivery.
Secondly, as part of the Prince Mohammad bin Salman Natural Reserve, we are set amidst a rich biosphere. Maintaining the integrity of our surroundings is critical to the project, with sustainability underpinning our design as well as our operations.
Sustainability has never been incorporated on a project of this scale before – existing properties’ sustainability aspirations largely involve playing catch up to balance offsets, but AMAALA will be meeting these standards from the ground up, creating a coastal oasis that elevates the role of responsible tourism globally.
Features of the Communities
Our three communities were conceived following extensive market research into our target clientele and what was important to them, i.e., Arts & Culture; Wellness & Sports; and Sun, Sea & Lifestyle; all rooted in philanthropy.
Triple Bay will represent the world’s most exclusive wellness retreat. Here, guests will be able to immerse themselves in a fully holistic wellness retreat, featuring state-of-the-art diagnostic medical facilities, and authentic treatments designed to reflect the local environment. The Costal Development will cater to the arts and culture aficionado, featuring contemporary art museums and a cultural district. Last but not the least, The Island will function as a haven offering exquisitely designed Arabian botanical gardens showcasing works of art, sculptures and breath-taking landscapes, all surrounding elegant private villas.
As with any project of this scale, development will be rolled-out in key phases. With the Master Plan approved by our Board of Directors, an extensive feasibility has just been completed, with contractors already on-the-ground conducting the necessary assessments and ground works. Starting with Triple Bay, we aim to have the entire project completed ahead of the realisation of Saudi Vision 2030.
Sustainability
Sustainability is one of the cornerstones of AMAALA and given the scale of the project, we have been diligent and meticulous in embedding sustainable practices into our design, operations, and overall culture.
We have been net carbon neutral from day one of our operations. We have about fifteen criteria for sustainability, covering everything from the use of full solar fields to waste management and recycling. An example of this is the plans for water production: there will be a dedicated desalination plant that has zero impact on the coral reefs. All wastewater will be treated and reused in agriculture, while all organic waste will be used in agriculture, including Triple Bay’s organic farm. Only biodegradable materials will be used within the resort, while energy requirements will be met by using renewable sources, with the entire AMAALA development having a zero-carbon footprint.
Tourism Boom
The tourism sector is one of the most promising parts of the Kingdom’s diversification efforts and AMAALA is part of the drive towards advancing the tourism sector and attracting 22.1 million international visitors by 2051.
A transformative idea, AMAALA is a new project on situated on the Red Sea, , which aims to establish a unique tourism ecosystem, in support of the kingdom’s economic diversification and the creation of high-value job opportunities.
Within the Kingdom’s growing tourism portfolio, AMAALA has carved out a unique positioning, catering to those select travellers looking for innovative experiential escapes, individually crafted to the needs of each guest.
Featuring over 2,500 hotel keys and 700 residential villas, AMAALA opens numerous opportunities for tourism and as well as the real estate sectors. From apartments to estate homes to high end retail establishments, we will partner with private sector companies, world-class operators and market investors specialised in hospitality to provide a bespoke experience for guests.
Real Estate Impact
Through the development of communities built to the highest international standards, we are creating an active pipeline of projects for the real estate and construction industries. Spanning 4,155 sq.kms in area across land and ocean, this development will be helmed by world-class architects, elevating the calibre of both sectors within the nation. Foster + Partners have been appointed as the executive architect for the masterplan, international design firm HKS Architects have been appointed as master planners for Triple Bay, and The Coastal Development while Denniston, led by internationally renowned multi-award-winning French-Belgian architect, Jean-Michel Gathy, will be master planners of The Island.
The project will also act as a key driver of Vision 2030’s objectives, cultivating investment opportunities, supporting economic growth with a focus on the development of new economies, driving employment in new economic sectors such as wellness, healthy living and sports, art and culture; and sea, sun, and lifestyle.
