Saudi Arabia has been selected to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games. The event is set to take place at the future Trojena by Neom ski resort, which is scheduled for completion in 2026. Trojena will feature year-round skiing as well as an artificial freshwater lake, a nature reserve, mansions, chalets and ultra-luxury hotels. The tourist destination is planned to be powered by renewable energy. Trojena, part of Neom’s regional plan, is located 50km from the Gulf of Aqaba coast, in the heart of a region with elevations that range from 1,500m to 2,600m. Winter temperatures in the area drop below zero Celsius, and year-round temperatures are generally 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the region, as explained on the project’s website. Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2029 Asian Winter Games was unanimously approved by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) at its 41st General Assembly in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Oct. 4.
According to Reuters, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Wednesday that it was not consulted in the decision by the OCA to pick Saudi Arabia as the host of the 2029 Games. The choice for the 2029 venue at the OCA general assembly on Tuesday raised eyebrows in the sports world, with the largely desert state of Saudi Arabia experiencing only rare snowfall and without any winter sports infrastructure or tradition.
