Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Winter Games in 2029
Saudi Arabia confirmed on Tuesday that it will host the 2029 Asian Winter Games. The Wahhabi kingdom is set to host the event, which would be held at a mountain resort. Riyadh is using petrodollars to change the country through spectacular urban developments focused on tourism, business and ecology. On 29 January 2019, the Saudi authorities announced the creation of a $500 billion closed joint stock company called NEOM. The aim of this company, wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund, is to develop the NEOM economic zone. The project is planned to be powered entirely by renewable energy sources, as stated by the CEO of the NEOM joint stock company, Nadhmi al-Nasr.
In August, the Saudi government sent a letter to the Asian Olympic Council (AOC) that included the proposed designation of Trojena as the venue for the Asian Winter Games as part of the Vision 2030 strategy. Thirty-two countries from the Asian continent are expected to participate in this edition. The proposal received the green light from the organisation and, after being discussed in Cambodia on 3 and 4 October, the Kingdom finally got the desired response to the request, as confirmed on Twitter by the Minister of Sport, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal. The edition was named: AWG TROJENA2029.
???¿Se puede esquiar en Arabia Saudí?
— David Hernández (@david_hm91) October 4, 2022
-?El país acogerá los juegos asiáticos de invierno en 2029.
- ?️ a 2600m de altitud se está construyendo un macro resort para turismo y deporte de nieve.pic.twitter.com/laH2IE7iCc
One of the main objectives of NEOM is the creation of a smart city. The chosen city is Trojena, located in the mountains in the north-east of the country, where the AWG will be held. The development of the city is expected to be completed by 2026 and is part of the Vision 2030 agenda. It is located 50 kilometres off the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, with elevations ranging from 1,500 metres to 2,600 metres. The project seeks to redefine mountain tourism and take advantage of the different climates throughout the year to become the place to be for sports such as skiing, water sports and hiking, as well as a place to live in flats, chalets and hotels, according to the project's website.
"TROJENA will offer year-round outdoor skiing and adventure sports to be completed by 2026, an unparalleled experience and a global milestone for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," a statement on the TROJENA website said.
NEOM is the most ambitious project of Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, recently appointed Prime Minister, as part of Vision 2030 to reduce dependence on oil and transform the economy, including through sport. NEOM, a huge 26,500 square kilometre high-tech infrastructure on the Red Sea, will include a zero-carbon city, as well as industrial and logistics zones.
"NEOM is one of the most important projects of Saudi Vision 2030 and The Line is an affirmation of our strong commitment to present a project to the whole world, NEOM is a place for those who dream of a better tomorrow," said the prince.
The Trojena City project is not the only project of the NEOM company. As part of its Vision 2030 programme, the company is also developing The Line, the next futuristic city. Mohamed bin Salman, known as MBS, unveiled the proposed design of the NEOM project for this new city and said it will set an example for future urban communities to follow.
