Guess what? Saudi Arabia is putting together a surprising treat for tourists – a ski resort! According to Euro News on Monday (27/11/2023), this snowy ski spot is part of the plan for Neom, Saudi’s upcoming city, and they’re calling it Trojena.
Now, building a ski resort in Saudi might sound like a wild idea, but Clark Williams, the Marketing and Communication guru for Neom, says making snow there isn’t as tricky as folks might think.
“People are like, ‘Hold up, there’s snow in Saudi Arabia?’ Actually, all we need is a temperature of minus 3 degrees Celsius to whip up some snow magic in Neom,” Williams spilled.
So, the Trojena Ski Resort is going to sprawl across 36 km in the nearby mountains of Neom. During winter, the natural air temperature will dip below 0 degrees Celsius for a cool three months, making it perfect for snowy fun in the Arabian mountains.
But, Saudi Arabia isn’t just crossing fingers for natural snow. Nope, they’re bringing in the tech to make this snow business sustainable. Trojena is all about cutting down on water use and getting back as much water as possible while crafting those snowflakes.
“When we’re making snow, we’re hitching a ride on as many sustainable resources as we can find, whether it’s sun power or a breeze,” he said.
The water for making the snow will be snatched from desalination spots. And get this – the melted snow isn’t going to waste; they’re scooping it up to use it all over again.
“This water’s getting looped back into the system that’s sprinkling snowflakes on the slopes of the resort,” he explained.
Once the snow season wraps up, visitors can still have a blast with man-made lakes and dive into all sorts of water sports when the snow’s taking a break.
Oh, and as the cherry on top, Trojena will be home to a bunch of hotels, ready to welcome guests by late 2026 or early 2027. Plus, they’re building living spaces for about 7,000 workers.
“It’s happening soon. We’re cooking up a whole new scene there with streets, bars, restaurants, and hotels all huddled together in one cool spot,” he spilled.