Emirati company Emaar Properties PJSC yesterday announced its plans to develop the $1.88 billion Marina Al Qussor project on Tunisia’s eastern coastline.The 442 hectare Marina development is located within the governorate of Sousse towards the southern end of the Gulf of Hammamet and will offer a mix of living options and tourist attractions with a large Marina Village at its centre.
Emaar Chairman Mohamed Ali Alabbar presented the high profile project to the Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali yesterday.
The various components of Marina Al Qussor range from over 4,000 residential units with villas, townhouses and apartments located on the 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 and sports club.
First of all, I think it’s great to see that more companies from the UAE are investing in Tunisia. The UAE has become one of the most important business centres in the world, and building bridges between the two countries is very good for both economies.
As for the project, Tunisia relies a lot on tourism, with it attracting 6.4 million tourists in 2005 and aiming for tourism revenue of close to $2 billion in 2006.
So from that point of view, this is yet another great project for Tunisia’s tourism industry, which I’m pretty sure will be very well done.
On the other hand, it’s a bit of a shame to see yet another tourism project pop up in that same region. It’s like tourism has eaten up all of Hammamet and Sousse, making them lose their Tunisian originality, which should be maintained as one of the main touristic attractions.
But then again, when you think of it, maybe it’s better if all these projects are centered in certain areas, and not spread out all over the country, so that some places can retain their purity and originality.