ENVI LODGES The First Experiential Eco-Lodge Brand to Launch from the GCC A new luxury experiential eco-lodge brand and management company officially launched during the Arabian & African Hotel Investment Conference at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai last month. ENVI Lodges is co-founded by Chris Nader and Noelle Homsy, both avid travellers and experts in the hospitality industry. Over the last decade, they witnessed the change in tourism in the MENA region and foresaw the travel revolution when it was still in “evolution”. “I think we can call it a revolution,” says Nader. “According to Businesswire, the global experiential lodging (glamping) market size is expected to reach $3.9 billion by 2027, rising at a market growth of 17.5% CAGR.” “Travellers are looking for meaningful trips. They want to have a positive impact on the place they visit,” adds Homsy. “We believe that the current hospitality offering in the region needs to evolve to remain relevant. So, we created a hotel brand in line with this global shift towards transformational and regenerative tourism, focusing on eco-lodges that are immersed in nature and anchored around experiences: adventure, wellness,
agritourism, cultural immersion, and environmental discoveries.” ENVI offers three types of accommodation (tents, prefab suites, and alternative pods), all built with low impact on the environment and with a sense of place, following the brand’s seven sustainability pillars. In fact, ENVI lodges will be developed and operated based on globally recognized sustainable tourism standards. According to a recent report by Booking.com, 83% of global travellers now believe sustainable travel is vital. With the push from governments in the MENA region, particularly the GCC, to promote eco-tourism, and the development of nature-centric tourism projects in KSA, the UAE, and Egypt, ENVI lodges is well positioned to grow its portfolio within a short time frame. “Last June, we raised funds from European and GCC investors to develop the brand
and we’re getting ready for our second round in 2022,” says Nader. “What is very encouraging is to see the growing interest of investors in developing lodges with ENVI at such an early stage of our inception, and we already have a promising pipeline of projects under negotiation, particularly in the UAE and KSA.” ENVI Lodges has brought on-board world-class hospitality experts and advisors specialised in experiential travel, and signed several partnerships, including with a world-class experiential designer, an eco-lodge marketing firm, and a large distribution platform. ENVI is also set to announce the signing of a major partnership with an alliance of eco-resorts and a renowned loyalty programme that will enhance the brand’s global reach. www.envilodges.com @envilodges
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