RLA Global was engaged by the Kuwait Government Tourism entity Touristic Enterprises Company in 2018 to conceptualise the project and develop the strategic and financial planning to ensure its viability and sustainability.
RLA Global's essential business and conceptual planning for Messilah Beach Leisure Development formed the basis for the appointed architect Gulf Consult works who envisioned and planned the architectural and design of the project, that has now realised the award.
The project was named best mixed-use architecture Africa & Middle East at the international property awards 2020-2021.
Roger A. Allen, RLA Global Group CEO, said: “We are extremely proud of the RLA Global Team’s contribution to this exciting project of the Kuwait Government Touristic Enterprises Company. Huge congratulations to the Gulf Consult’s Team who brought the concept live in an amazingly creative and professional fashion, and highly deserved this award.
“We are honoured to contribute to the Kuwait Vision 2035, which aims to help the country’s economy diversify away from energy and create a thriving travel and tourism sector which can benefit all Kuwaiti citizens.” Abdulwahab Ahmed Al-Marzouq, CEO, TEC, added: “We appointed RLA Global to provide TEC with hospitality advisory services for our major recreational, leisure and hotel development projects in Kuwait.
"RLA Global demonstrated a high level of expertise in Destination Planning and an excellent professional approach that incorporated all major aspects and drivers that make a destination development successful and sustainable.
“RLA Global’s comprehensive understanding of the overall business environment and the tourism industry trends, interwoven with their strategic thinking meant invaluable support for TEC’s ambition to contribute to developing Kuwait to an attractive tourism destination. The RLA Global team’s professional knowledge is paired with responsiveness and trustworthiness which was manifested in the cooperation with each stakeholder and all involved project teams, that lead to fruitful, productive dialogues, contributing to the overall success of the projects.”
The development will include six restaurant areas, a swimming pool, water park with wave simulation, the largest adventure trail in Kuwait, tennis, basketball, beach volleyball, football, and a jogging track. The club has been designed to follow the latest Ministry of Electricity and Water codes for energy conservation.
RLA Global's essential business and conceptual planning for Messilah Beach Leisure Development formed the basis for architect Gulf Consult’s vision and planning of the project.
Developments such as Messilah Beach are key to attracting both overseas and domestic visitors. In 2020, domestic travel and tourism spending for Kuwait reached $6.1bn, up from $1.6bn, with family tourism a rapidly-growing segment.
The project was part of the state’s efforts to drive tourism in Kuwait, to diversify the economy away from the energy sector, under the banner Kuwait Vision 2035. The strategy aims to transform Kuwait into a financial and trade hub regionally and internationally, with goals including improving the standards of living for citizens and supporting human and social development.
The country’s government has estimated that, by 2035, tourism would generate 90,000 jobs for young Kuwaitis. It also forecast that, in the short term, tourism could add 2% to GDP, with the potential to grow it by 4%.
The WTTC’s travel & tourism impact report 2020 named Kuwait as one of the fastest-growing countries in travel & tourism GDP in 2019, with 11.6% year-on-year growth.
The WTTC has predicted tourist arrivals of 440,000 by 2024 – up from 270,000 in 2014 – with leisure travel spending set to rise by 6.2% per annum through to 2025, and business travel to see annual growth of 5.6%.
The government was looking to foreign direct investment to help meet its targets, but has supported the goals with infrastructure projects including a new terminal at Kuwait International Airport, targeting 25 million passengers a year. Once completed, the project was expected to be one of the most advanced and environmentally conscious airports in the world
Kuwait's national development plan is linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030, to bring the national plan in line with the international vision.
The International Property Awards are the largest, most prestigious, and widely recognised programme and are judged by an independent panel of industry experts. Judging focuses on design, quality, service, innovation, originality, and commitment to sustainability.
For more information, go to Touristic Enterprise Company and International Property Awards
