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Sep 20, 2021

ENVI Lodges Launches at AHIC

Dubai, UAE.

ENVI Lodges officially launched on Sunday September 20th, during the 17th edition of the Arabian & African Hotel Investment Conference at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. It is the first Experiential Eco-Lodge brand to launch from the GCC.

Co-founders Noelle Homsy and Chris Nader were both featured at AHIC during different events: Homsy pitched ENVI Lodges to a full house as a “Business Start-ups that are Transforming the Industry” and Nader was part of a panel discussing “The rise of experimental eco-lodging in the Middle-East.”

The co-founders both worked in the hospitality industry for years, and over the last decade, they witnessed firsthand the shift in tourism happening in the MENA region, and foresaw the travel revolution when it was still in “evolution”. 

But revolution it is. 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,” said ENVI Lodges co-founder Noelle 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 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. Chris Nader, Co-Founder of ENVI, said:

 “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,” said Chris Nader, ENVI co-founder. “What is very encouraging is to see the interest of investors from the very early stage in developing lodges with ENVI, and we already have a promising pipeline of lodges under negotiation, particularly in the UAE and KSA”. 

ENVI Lodges has brought on-board world-class hospitality 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.   

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