·
Tourist numbers to Oman
increased by 15% during first 10 months of 2016 increasing to over 2.5 million
with a raft of new developments expected to be awarded in the next decade
·
Oman’s real estate market set
to receive a boost as the government looks to relax rules on freehold
opportunities for expats
·
Crystal Lagoons is a multinational water-innovation company,
developer of sustainable and limitless in size crystal clear lagoons
Crystal Lagoons has
identified Oman’s burgeoning hospitality and tourism market which, according to
the World Travel and Tourism Council, is expected to see investment of upwards
of US$1.7billion by 2026, as a key area for expansion in the Middle East.
The cutting-edge
technology has already proven to be a major success in the GCC, particularly in
Oman, where Alargan Towell Investment Company has started work on a 50-hectare
multi-million-dollar, mixed-use development. Crystal Lagoons will build a
40-hectare lagoon as part of the project, the centrepiece to three hotels,
serviced apartments, a mixed-use souk and a host of other amenities.
Crystal Lagoons have
also signed a deal with Palm’s Beach Company to build a five-hectare lagoon as
the centrepiece for the eagerly anticipated Al Nakheel Integrated Tourism
Complex (ITC) in the Wilayat of Barka. Construction of the lagoon is due to
start in Q1 2018.
Carlos Salas, Regional Director,
Middle East, Crystal Lagoons, said: “Developing Oman’s tourism industry is a
top priority for the government, investment is likely to see a number of recognised
hospitality brands coming into the market. At Crystal Lagoons our technology
allows us to develop mass bodies of water that are not only highly sustainable
but also offer incredible turquoise water ideal for a range of water sports in
a safe environment, perfect for large resorts and residential developments.
“As investment in the country
grows, as does competition. We can provide a viable, long term differentiator
that offers something unique to other developments, we ultimately deliver the
wow factor!”
Oman is renowned
for having some of the cleanest waters in the world, as stated by a recent
United Nations report. Crystal Lagoons technology
provides a viable, sustainable solution, despite challenges such as water and
energy supply, supporting Oman’s drive for clean water preservations through
avoidance of contamination. Crystal Lagoons uses any kind of water including
brackish from underground aquifers, eliminating the need to consume valuable
fresh water resources.
The cutting-edge technology uses up to 30
times less water than a golf course and half of the water required to irrigate
a park of the same size. A manmade lagoon also uses 100 times less chemicals
than a traditional filtration system and just 2% of the energy required by
conventional water treatment systems for swimming pools and drinking water.
The country’s real estate market is also
predicting a boost, according to a report by Cluttons. A 5.2% rise in GDP in
2018 due to the introduction of natural gas production via Khazzan gas field, the
opening of the new Muscat Airport, and potential relaxing of government rules
for foreign investment allowing foreign citizens to own their own property
outside of ITCs, are all having a positive impact on the economy and the real
estate market.
 |
| Carlos Salas |
“Although
Oman is at the relatively early stages of planning freehold residential
developments for investors outside of ITCs, there’s potential for developers to
create projects offering an array of amenities and that’s where we see Crystal
Lagoons creating a value add. In our experience, developers can
charge a premium on properties overlooking our projects and thus can attain a
strong ROI,” added Salas.
In addition to expansion in the Middle East, Crystal Lagoons has also
recently revealed plans to create a new business model which will see the
company introduce Public Access Lagoons (PALs) around the world.
In the US, Miami will soon have the first privately owned crystal-clear lagoon
open to the public through tickets sales while in Europe, Spain has recently
signed a deal to open the first PAL just 30km from the capital, Madrid. Initial
discussions have also taken place with developers in the UAE, with talks
currently ongoing. Crystal Lagoons will generate revenue through a percentage
of tickets sold.
Crystal Lagoons currently boasts over 600
projects in different development and negotiation stages. in 60 countries
worldwide. The company holds two Guinness World Records for the world’s largest
manmade lagoon, the first in San Alfonso del Mar, Chile; and Sharm El Sheik,
Egypt, which is the current world record holder at 12.2 hectares.
