Saudi Arabia Is Building A Luxury SNOW Destination In The DESERT

Imagine a winter paradise in the heart of the desert. A place where nature and technology are seamlessly interconnected to create an experience that has never been witnessed before. One country in the Middle East has undertaken an enormous task to build an ultra-luxury snow resort in the desert that would have the most bizarre architectural elements including a folded vertical village, a gigantic man-made lake atop the mountains and a hotel underneath the lake. Located 50 km from the Gulf of Aqaba coast in Tabuk province lies Saudi Arabia's Trojina, a snow-capped tourist destination which is part of the kingdom's $500 billion megaproject NEOM. Winter temperatures often dip below zero degrees Celsius in Tabuk and typically average about 10 degrees Celsius less than the rest of the country for the remainder of the year. With elevations ranging from 1,500 meters to 2,600 meters covering an area of nearly 60 square kilometers the destination is set to be transformed into a snowy resort in the middle of the desert. Outdoor skiing is a unique experience that Trojina will provide as it has never before been witnessed in the region especially in Gulf countries known for their desert climates. Trojina is due for completion in 2026 and it expects to attract 700,000 visitors and 7,000 permanent residents to live in the development by 2030. The Trojina resort is one of 10 regions being developed as part of Saudi Arabia's NEOM region. It will be connected to the Line megacity which is being built as another major component of NEOM's development. Work has already begun on this resort with the main construction work on the ski village due to begin at the end of 2022. Very recently NEOM signed with Ennismore the world's fastest growing lifestyle hospitality company. The partnership will see two of Ennismore's iconic brands 25 Hours Hotels and Morgan's Originals open properties in Trojina within the next few years. On the 4th of October 2022 the NEOM project officially announced that Trojina will host the 9th Asian Winter Games in 2029. To organize and host this massive sports tournament Saudi Arabia will have to display enormous potential and outstanding infrastructure. With this initiative Saudi Arabia is looking to portray the kingdom as one of the world's leading countries in sport. Saudi Arabia is the first country in the Middle East to host the Asian Winter Games and the project was launched as part of NEOM's plan and strategy to contribute to supporting and developing the tourism sector in the region. The Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has conveyed that Trojina will redefine mountain tourism for the world by creating a place based on the principles of ecotourism highlighting efforts to preserve nature and enhance the community's quality of life which is all aligned with the goals of the kingdom's vision 2030. The prince added that all construction activity will adhere to NEOM's strict environmental principles which include a commitment to minimize disruption to the local ecology and to ensure long-term sustainability. Trojina is expected to be an important addition to tourism in the region as it shows how Saudi Arabia is creating destinations based on its geographical and environmental diversity. This development will provide the nation with another revenue stream to support its economic diversification while still preserving its natural resources for future generations. Therefore, Trojina will act as a major catalyst for economic growth in Saudi Arabia. Speaking of Saudi Arabia's newest megaproject, we are excited to tell you about a new app and website that we have been using to stay updated on the latest developments around the world. Ground News, the sponsor of today's video is a news comparison platform designed to combat misinformation and media bias. Compiling over 60,000 breaking news sources in one place, Ground News makes it easy for readers to compare news sources, read between the lines of media bias and break free from algorithms. Let's take a look at this story on how critics have responded to Saudi Arabia's green vision. Ground News records there are 39 sources reporting on it with the majority of the sources being right and center-leaning. Scrolling down, we can see the breakdown of the ownership of all the sources covering this story and that the majority are reported as high factuality. We can also swipe through articles from left, center, and right-leaning sources to compare language used in the headlines or click through to read the article on the original source. This adds context and transparency, helping you to see the bigger picture. We recommend Ground News to anyone who wants a better way to read the news. To try it out, visit ground.news.bdb or click on the link in the description and subscribe for unlimited access. Trojena will house six distinctive development districts centered around tailored experiences that blend real with virtual architectural and engineering innovations, all to create a destination like no other on Earth. The districts are namely Gateway, Discover, Valley, Explore, Relax, and Fun. Some of the key highlights at Trojena include a ski village, the vault, the lake, the wildlife reserve, the observatory, the bow, and the ultra-luxury mansions. The ski village is a place for professional and amateur skiers to hit the slopes with runs of varying difficulty dotted across the mountain peaks, which tower up to 2,600 meters above sea level. At night time, the village transforms into a center for outdoor entertainment, elevated dining, and stargazing. Set in harmony with the surrounding landscape in Trojena are the ultra-luxury mansions. They are iconic residences that are tailored to the owner's needs. Designed by the best of architects in the world, these mansions are strategically placed in premium locations providing views of the lake and the surrounding mountainscape. In total, the development will contain more than 3,600 hotel rooms and 2,200 homes. The place known as the Vault in Trojena is a folded vertical village that connects the physical and digital worlds. It is the main gateway into Trojena and serves as the brain of the development. The Vault would offer experiences where reality and imagination are combined. The place would house its own microclimate with lush greenery and transformational architecture. The concept of the vertical village can be observed even with the Lion Megacity which is the 100-mile long linear city in Neom. According to Neom's architects, the whole concept of Neom is to reserve the land for nature by concentrating on vertical construction thereby minimizing land take. Therefore, the Vault will be a unique offering that preserves the land without spreading out far and wide. Located towards the south of the Vault is the Observatory that will provide the best views of the unique surrounding region. The Observatory will include restaurants for visitors to enjoy the mesmerizing views all while dining in style. Atop the mountains in Trojena is an enormous man-made lake. It features a large public realm and stunning water-etched spaces ideal for families to enjoy water sports. The lake will be the centerpiece of the mountain region providing unrivaled views for residents and tourists alike. Hidden underneath the lake is a secret world called The Bough. It has large adaptable spaces to host events, conferences, sports, concerts, art galleries, weddings, parties, and much more. It will also boast a five-star hotel and high-end residences all situated in the atriums of this water-embedded structure. According to the Trojena Executive Director Philip Gullit, building a lake atop the mountains is a real challenge. A significant volume of desalinated water from the sea has to be pumped up there and because The Bough is a hollow structure, inserting a veneer of water across the top will be a complex and massive undertaking. Trojena will also have a serene and secluded natural habitat full of diverse wildlife. Several high-end resorts will be situated closer to the wildlife reserve. This area will be unlike any other animal sanctuary. Here, the environment will be connected with high-end technology to include augmented reality features. Trojena has a planned set of programs for visitors to experience throughout different times of the years. September to November is planned to be wellness season when yoga retreats, alternative medicine summits, and artist residencies will take place. December to March is winter season and the perfect time for a host of snow-based sports. Between March and May, adventure season will attract those interested in outdoor activities such as high-altitude training, mountain biking, climbing, and paragliding. The summer months will become lake season when the area will host food festivals, light shows, art fairs, and other cultural events. To connect Trojena to other regions and cities in NEOM, environmentally sustainable energy-powered vehicles will run on roads to take people to destinations within a short time. Air landing strips and drone ports will be built to provide easy access to the main airport which is to be constructed in NEOM. Luggage is expected to be delivered via drones and security requirements will be fulfilled through advanced biometrics. The architects have said that it would be the most up-to-date advanced passenger transport system. With this proposed seamless connection between different regions in NEOM, it is possible for visitors to ski on the cold mountain tops of Trojena and scuba dive in the blue waters of the Red Sea on the same day. What's more fascinating is that Trojena can be reached by almost 40% of the world's population within four hours. In addition, Trojena is said to be powered entirely by sources of renewable energy and will make use of sustainable materials for its construction. Focus will be given to heating and cooling systems, insulation and building materials, performance-based building energy codes that address operational and embodied carbon, and measures that enhance building resilience. One of the centerpieces of the energy grid will be a hydroelectric system that is incorporated within the lake system, and it will also be used as energy storage to help offset the energy required for the development. Following the announcement that the 2029 Winter Games would be hosted in Trojena, several athletes and climate activists have raised concerns about the impact of this plan on climate change. They have pointed out that Trojena is very unreal, and building it would result in vast consequences. The Crown Prince has claimed that Trojena would have the suitable infrastructure to create the winter atmosphere. But how would it be achieved in reality? In a place naturally poor in precipitation and water, where there are no ski resorts or slopes to date, Saudi Arabia will ideally have to burn massive amounts of fossil fuels to create the winter atmosphere that will allow it to host the Asian Winter Games. Activists have argued that just because something is powered by renewables doesn't necessarily make it sustainable or environmentally friendly. Filling the man-made lake with desalinated water will also be extremely energy intensive, and not just in the short term. It will have to be consistently fed with water, and therefore will continue to utilize massive amounts of energy on a long-term basis. On a more serious note, where will all the water needed to fill up the lake come from? The water scarcity in the region is clear to be seen, and these elements seem unfeasible. A lot can happen in the next six years, and it would be beyond fascinating to witness the Asian Winter Games in this destination. What are your thoughts on Trojena? Leave your ideas in the comments below. Thanks for watching and see you in the next video.