Public Access Lagoons™ Projects Set for Expansion Across Mena

Gulf Construction magazine has featured Crystal Lagoons® business model expansion in MENA, with announcements expected to made in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Morocco, Turkey, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar.

These are just some of the countries across the region in which the firm has developed 23 projects anchored by impressive crystalline water amenities.

The article highlights Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City – District One, ranked as having the most expensive square meter in UAE.

Anchored by a 100-acre water amenity powered by Crystal Lagoons technology, it will break the firm’s current Guinness World Record as largest crystalline lagoon.

The current record was awarded to Citystars Sharm El Sheik, centered around a 30-acre lagoon considered a true oasis in Egypt’s Sinai desert.

A revolutionary concept

Crystal Lagoons is expanding its revolutionary Public Access Lagoons™ business model on all five continents, and in particular in the MENA region.

The firm is in advanced negotiations in MENA to develop 33 complexes in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Morocco and Turkey.

Also known as PAL, they are monumental crystalline lagoons that create beach life on people’s doorstep, and quickly become the most beautiful location in the city.

The company offers three investment formats. While the basic format includes a crystalline lagoon, beaches and green areas with kiosks, the most complete format also incorporates retail, restaurants and hotels.

PAL captivate investors due to their commercial versatility, and can be developed with different investment formats. The firm offers models with more or less infrastructure, yet even those with minimal infrastructure are tremendously successful,” says Alastair Sinclair, Regional Director at Crystal Lagoons.

This is reflected in the firm’s success. In just 12 months, totaled 810 PAL in different stages of development and negotiation in 60 countries, representing 90% of the firm’s contracts.

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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. SunterraMiradaWindsong Ranch, and Epperson secured prominent positions in 2023.

These projects ranked among the top 50 best-selling communitiesFlorida 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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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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