TUNIS, 16 April 2006 — Emaar Properties yesterday announced its plans to develop the AED6.7 billion ($1.88 billion) Marina Al-Qussor project on Tunisia’s eastern coastline. The 442 hectare Marina development is located within the county of Sousse toward the southern end of the Golfe de Hammamet and will offer a mix of living options and tourist attractions with a large Marina Village at its center.
At a ceremony in Tunis on Friday, Emaar Chairman Mohamed Ali Alabbar presented the project to the Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The project will add a premier tourist destination to the southern shores of the Mediterranean away from the hustle and bustle and yet be closely located to Tunisia’s key cultural sites for tourists to explore. “We are honored to showcase Marina Al-Qussor to Tunisia’s President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, said Alabbar. “Tunisia is a country rich in heritage and we look forward to the opportunity of adding to its world class attractions with the development of Marina Al-Qussor.”
Emaar is looking at other parts of North Africa for the development of its master planned communities and lifestyle options that have become synonymous with the company’s name. With its thriving tourism industry, Tunisia is a significant market for Emaar to build communities that offer everything from a thriving resort atmosphere to a quiet retreat.
Tunisia’s tourism policy is currently focused on residence tourism which enables high end tourists to buy homes in areas with beautiful landscape for longer stays. The country attracted 6.4 million tourists in 2005 and is aiming for tourism revenue of close to $2 billion in 2006.
The components of Marina Al-Qussor range from over 4,000 residential units with villas, townhouses and apartments located on lakeside, beach, marina and quayside; six hotels ranging from luxury boutique to four star located on the beach and marina; leisure facilities with the marina, yacht club, beach clubs, spa resort, sports club, 18-hole golf course, clubhouse, driving range; and retail space located on the marina and quayside.
The development offers a series of environments ranging from natural lakes to golf landscapes and olive groves to the existing El Medfoun forest and sandy beaches. In contrast to these natural landscapes, the central marina village area will offer the ideal backdrop to the hustle and bustle of the resort centre. The village will become the heart of the resort with shops, restaurants and apartments surrounding the 400 berth marina that will support boats of all sizes including large private boats that cruise the Mediterranean.
The architectural character of the development is based on numerous distinctive traditional Tunisian elements from building techniques to styles and materials. Low rise buildings add to the charm of the site allowing unobstructed views across the development.
