Crystal Lagoons® Munyaka Project Receives Prestigious Award

27/11/2020

Munyaka, Crystal Lagoons® latest signing in South Africa, has won the prestigious International Property Award, taking “Leisure Development South Africa 2020-2021.” The project is being developed together with leading property developers Balwin Properties.

The project has had a strong track record, selling over 10% of the units in just four days. Balwin Properties has described it as the “crown jewel” in its portfolio, and it is the nation’s second crystalline lagoon powered with Crystal Lagoons technology, after The Blyde, which also saw unprecedented commercial success.

During the launch, the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, praised the project: “When I did my state of the nation address, I said I dreamt of a city like this one. Steve Brookes (founder and CEO at Balwin Properties) told me my dream would come true. Now I can see this, I am very proud as this project, it’s giving life to the South Africa we want, one that develops its economy through infrastructure. Now I see this project today, this is how you build great communities”.

Once completed, the water amenity at Munyaka is set to be the largest crystalline lagoon in the southern hemisphere, spanning approximately seven rugby fields.

Successful track record

Given the sales success of The Blyde, the developers’ first project anchored by a Crystal Lagoons amenity, the companies have an exclusivity agreement for five additional projects, each to be developed around these large bodies of pure turquoise water and white sand beaches. These will be built in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Mbombela, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape province.

“The launch of Munyaka resulted in Balwin breaking all sales records. We achieved over 807 sales in a month and around 600 were related to Munyaka, which will be home to the largest man-made crystalline lagoon in the southern hemisphere, to be powered by Crystal Lagoons technology,” stated Steve Brookes, Balwin Properties CEO and founder to prominent South African media outlet, Moneyweb earlier this year.

Public Access Lagoons™ expansion

Crystal Lagoons is also expected to expand across the continent, bringing its ground-breaking concept and technology to other African nations, and is advanced negotiations to close licensing agreements in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Angola and Egypt, among other nations.

The firm is also negotiating a regional master agreement, and is in talks with a local operator in Morocco, to develop 9 Public Access Lagoons™ in Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Fez and Saidia.

International Property Awards

Iconic Crystal Lagoons Luxury Project in Cancun prepares for opening in June

09-04-2024

Crystal Lagoons® technology is revolutionizing the hotel industry and changing the paradigm of vacation developments. Major international hotel chains such as Marriott, Radisson, Conrad, Hyatt Regency, and AVA recognize the transformative value of crystalline lagoons. They have incorporated this amenity as a critical element in their projects, making them more attractive destinations.

In association with the prestigious AVA hotel chain, Crystal Lagoons is developing an iconic project that will become the most prominent luxury resort in Cancun, centered around a monumental 2.8-acre crystalline lagoon surrounded by white sandy beaches. This artificial lagoon with turquoise waters will allow guests to enjoy exclusive floating cabins and various water activities in a unique environment.

When it opens in June 2024, AVA Resort Cancún will be an innovative luxury destination just 10 minutes from Cancun International Airport and along the city’s most extensive commercial promenade. It will be a landmark in Mexican tourism and Cancun, the largest city on the Yucatan Peninsula and a regional cultural, financial, and tourist hub.

This beachfront oasis, with all rooms facing the sea, will offer experiences for all ages and various accommodation options, from elegant rooms to spacious villas, all with breathtaking views of the Mexican Caribbean. Six pools, a water park for children, and first-class beach services ensure relaxation and fun. Additionally, high-end boutiques and local shops will provide exclusive shopping options.

“Crystal Lagoons is a pioneer in sustainability and innovation. It will offer an idyllic beach landscape to enjoy a lively life around the lagoon. Guests can relax in one or four water cabins or engage in non-motorized water sports, all in the same body of water”, said Ash Tembe, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for North America at AIC Hotel Group.

Around the world, the concept and technology of Crystal Lagoons® have become the leading sales attraction, positively impacting its commercial success. Despite the credit and real estate challenges in the current economic conditions, Crystal Lagoons projects continue to defy the market with very impressive sales figures, particularly in the United States. The rankings from real estate consulting firms RCLCO and John Burns on the best-selling master-planned communities once again demonstrated that crystalline lagoons are a powerful purchasing driver. Sunterra, Mirada, Windsong Ranch, and Epperson secured prominent positions in 2023.

These projects ranked among the top 50 best-selling communities. Florida leads the ranking within the list, representing close to 40% of the sales for all top-ranked developments, followed by Texas with 37%. In both states, Crystal Lagoons has a significant presence.

In Texas, Sunterra stands out as a project that, even though the crystalline lagoon has not been built yet, serves as a commercial driver within the community, generating sales rates higher than the average, with a significant increase of 63% compared to 2022. This placed it 3rd nationally in both rankings, further boosting the strong performance of Houston, the top-selling metropolitan area in the country. Sunterra’s positive sales results had already been recorded in previous reports.

With the largest amenity powered by Crystal Lagoons® technology in the United States, Mirada in Florida, inaugurated in 2023, sets another record. With an 89% increase in sales, it ranks 17th. Its 15 acres of turquoise waters and white sandy beaches are a buying trigger.

Another notable project in Texas is Windsong Ranch, which has consistently set sales records, ranking 29th in the John Burns ranking. The project has also been nationally awarded as “Master Planned Community of the Year,” among other recognitions.

On the other hand, Epperson in Florida also ranked prominently in both studies, a commercial trend registered since its inauguration as a real estate project. The interest it generated was so significant that it had to be opened to the Public Access Lagoons™ model, also known as PAL™ developments.

The United States is the main operation of Crystal Lagoons worldwide, and it has more than 275 projects at different stages of development and negotiation. Among the most important are Mirada, Sole Mia, Balmoral, Windsong Ranch, Beachwalk, Southshore Bay, Aqua, among others. The recent joint venture to develop four Public Access Lagoons™ complexes, also known as PAL™, in Texas stands out and will add to the successful public access developments Epperson (Florida) and Lago Mar (Texas).

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Crystal Lagoons: A Trend Taking Over the Hospitality Industry

02-04-2024

Several international media highlighted that the hotel sector is undergoing a real transformation thanks to the incorporation of innovative technologies. One of the technologies highlighted was precisely Crystal Lagoons, in parallel with process automation and artificial intelligence.

The sustainability of the multinational innovation company was key to being considered within these trends. “Currently, many travelers are seeking accommodations that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. Places like the AVA Resort Cancun, with its artificial lagoon of crystal-clear waters powered by Crystal Lagoons® technology, are examples of accommodations that stand out for their commitment to sustainability,” explains the Spanish portal 24 Matins.

The turquoise-colored body of water provides ideal conditions for sailing, swimming, kayaking, or relaxing, and thanks to state-of-the-art technology, it consumes 33 times less water than an 18-hole golf course, 40% less water than a park of the same size, and only 2% of the energy of a conventional pool.

After transforming the real estate industry and the urban entertainment landscape with its innovative Public Access Lagoons™ projects, the multinational innovation company is now generating a new revolution, this time in the hotel sector.

Recognizing the transformative value of Crystal Lagoons® technology, leading global hotel chains such as Marriott, Radisson, Conrad, Hyatt Regency, and AVA Resort itself, have incorporated this amenity as a centerpiece in their projects.

“Every hotel project incorporating a Crystal Lagoons amenity becomes the most attractive destination in the area. These bodies of water change the paradigm of vacation developments with world-class hotel and resort standards”, explains Iván Manzur, Senior Vice President of Sales at Crystal Lagoons US Corp.

The multinational water innovation company already has developments of this kind, in which crystalline lagoons are the differentiating factor in the United States, Mexico, Indonesia, Romania, and Uruguay, among other countries.

“The crystalline lagoons achieve unprecedented results, such as bringing a beach lifestyle to Orlando—an entertainment option it didn’t have—or, counterintuitively, replacing the sea in iconic tourist destinations like Cancun,” emphasizes Jean Pierre Juanchich, Global Business Director of Crystal Lagoons.

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