RIYADH: US-based hospitality firm Collective Retreats has partnered with Saudi Arabia’s $500-billion giga-project NEOM to open a sustainable retreat in Trojena, the mountain destination located in the north-western part of the Kingdom.
The project has been named Collective Trojena, and it is expected to be operational at the beginning of 2026, according to a press release.
The retreat will feature approximately 60 open-air guest rooms and meeting spaces, along with water features, communal campfires and culinary experiences.
It is also expected to offer direct access to various activities in Trojena which include, skiing and snowboarding, high-altitude training, paragliding, mountain biking, hiking, and water sports.
“Trojena provides the ultimate backdrop to achieve this mission in ways we never imagined. In addition to giving a global audience a new perspective on this spectacular mountain setting, we are committed to demonstrating that luxury travel should not be extractive and it’s possible to both preserve the environment and deliver extraordinary guest experiences,” said Collective Retreats CEO and Founder Peter Mack.
Philip Gullett, executive director and region head at Trojena, said that Collective Retreats’ innovative thinking and passionate commitment to sustainability make the American firm the ideal partner for the NEOM project.
Gullett added: “Collective Retreats will be outstanding stewards of this new outdoor retreat experience in Trojena and will perfectly complement the environmental and sustainability principles and practices that are at the core of the NEOM project.”
Saudi Arabia will be hosting the 2029 Asian Winter Games at Trojena and in December 2022, during an exclusive interview with Arab News, Peter Fitzhardinge, head of Tourism Marketing at NEOM, said the event will showcase NEOM’s innovation.
“NEOM is all about innovation. I think now, not only we have to launch Trojena to show the vision, but we have to also showcase how we can bring Asian winter games into reality for people to come and participate in winter sports in NEOM,” said Fitzhardinge.