MAG Group Holding, an international real estate developer based in Dubai, UAE, has been appointed as the lead developer for the first phase of Marsa Zayed, a beachfront resort and residential community on the Red Sea in Aqaba, Jordan.
Marsa Zayed is an ambitious project set to transform 3.2 million m² of the Red Sea coastline into a vibrant tourism and business hub, serving as a key southern gateway to Jordan’s iconic attractions, including the UNESCO-listed Petra and the Wadi Rum Protected Area.
MAG Group Holding was selected for this role by AD Ports Group, an Abu Dhabi-based trade, transport, and logistics entity that owns the land for the project. AD Ports Group has already established its presence in Aqaba, having developed and operated the Aqaba Cruise Terminal, officially opened in January 2023 under an agreement signed with the Jordanian state-owned Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) in 2021.
Backed by both the UAE and Jordanian governments, Marsa Zayed is envisioned as a premier beachfront real estate development that will further elevate Aqaba’s status as a regional tourism hub and key entry point for Red Sea travellers.
As the lead developer, MAG Group Holding will spearhead Phase 1 of the project, which will cover 1.2 kilometres of the pristine Red Sea shoreline. This phase will feature Zayed Riviera, comprising four residential towers, a marina with approximately 1,260 residential and 117 retail units, a luxury hotel and serviced apartments with a beach club, an Old Souq marketplace housing 50 retail shops, the restoration of Aqaba’s historic Minaret, as well as a yacht club, marina, and a dedicated visitors’ centre.
To promote Marsa Zayed as a world-class destination, AD Ports Group and MAG Group have launched an international marketing campaign to attract investors and tourists, positioning the development as one of the Middle East’s most anticipated tourism and lifestyle projects.
In a parallel effort to enhance Aqaba’s maritime and tourism infrastructure, AD Ports Group took a significant step in January 2024 by signing a shareholders’ agreement between its digital arm, Maqta Technologies, and Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) for their joint venture, Maqta Ayla. This partnership will introduce a cutting-edge Port Community System (PCS), leveraging Maqta Gateway’s digital expertise to modernize port operations—marking the first deployment of Abu Dhabi’s port digitalization solutions beyond the UAE.
Expanding its investments across the Red Sea region, AD Ports Group has also secured long-term agreements to develop and manage cruise terminals in Safaga, Hurghada, Al Sokhna, and Sharm El-Sheikh, along with plans to construct and operate a multipurpose port in Safaga and a Ro-Ro terminal in Al Sokhna.
