Before they have even opened their first project, the developers of a new waterpark-focused “active leisure destination” in Australia have announced they are looking for an additional site in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The advisory board of ACTVENTURE, which is being built on Australia’s Gold Coast in Queensland, met on the sidelines of the recent IAAPA EMEA Winter Forum in Dubai to discuss its plans. The Actventure team does already have a link to the market since the project is being funded by UAE-based Najibi Investments.

Geoff Chutter, CEO of WhiteWater, which is supplying attractions to the Australian project and is a member of the Actventure board, is supportive of a UAE rollout. “The UAE is the leading leisure and entertainment destination in the region with a huge growth potential over the next three years,” he says. “We believe the market could double when the current projects on the books are complete. I believe that ACTVENTURE is a differentiated active lifestyle destination that will cause huge waves in Australia. Bringing the concept to UAE will only add to the country’s diversified sector.”

Members of Actventure’s advisory board, including WhiteWater’s Paul and Geoff Chutter and Talal Najibi of Najibi Investments, meet with CEO Bradley Sutherland (second left) in Dubai. Image courtesy Hotel and Rest

“Dubai is set to become a world-class leisure and entertainment destination rivalling Orlando, Singapore and Hong Kong, and we want to participate in this growth trajectory,” adds Najibi Investments executive chairman Talal Y Najibi.

Actventure is currently conducting bulk earthworks on the Gold Coast and construction should begin in the fourth quarter of this year. Leading the project is CEO Bradley P Sutherland. Alongside Chutter, other advisory board members include the CEO of Thinkwell, Joe Zenas, and Fredrik Jonsson, founder and managing partner of Mereha.