The sustainable residential-touristic complex will have four hotels, including the first themed resort under the Rock in Rio brand and an environmental research center backed by institutions such as UFRJ, UFF and UFRRJ

The State of Rio will be home to one of the most important touristic-residential developments in the country: MARAEY, developed by the company IDB Brasil with over R$ 11 billion of private investment, four five-star hotels, including the first themed resort under the Rock in Rio brand, and residential condominiums. The project will generate R$ 7.2 billion in taxes for the Brazilian treasury during the 14-year construction period, and over R$ 1 billion per year whilst in operation. The outlook is a significant improvement in the economy of the State of Rio, generating up to 52,000 direct jobs during the works, and 36,000 direct and indirect per year once it is up and running. The MARAEY project is located in a beautiful coastal area covering 840 hectares with 8.5 km of beaches in the municipality of Maricá, just 45 km away from the center of Rio.

The economic impact of the development has been assessed in a number of studies by Abacus, a company linked to the Project, commissioned by IDB Brasil.

the report shows the construction expenses of the project totaling R$ 11.2 billion were broken down to show that the most important items are the complete urbanization of the development and the residential infrastructure, accounting for close to R$ 8.5 billion, and the hotels, costing roughly R$ 1.8 billion.

The report also showed that the Brazilian government will collect R$ 6.22 billion in direct taxes and R$ 1.1 billion in indirect taxes during the construction and consolidation of the development, which is estimated to be completed in 14 years.

The number of jobs involved in the project during the construction phase was calculated based on the indicators of the Câmara Brasileira da Indústria da Construção (CBIC) of the Fundação Getúlio Vargas. During the 14 estimated years of works, 52,000 direct jobs will be generated. During operation, the forecast is 36,000 jobs per year: 18,000 direct and 18,000 indirect or induced.

The percentage of direct jobs during operation will be: 26.16% in hotels, 39.39% in commerce and services, and 34.45% in the residential sector. Over 40% of jobs will target professionals with technical qualifications and higher education. Furthermore, regional residents will be employed preferentially.

The annual turnover obtained from accommodation at the four hotels in the complex when operation begins is calculated at R$ 1.3 billion. It is estimated that around 4,730 direct jobs will be created at the hotels alone.

– “We are sure that Rio de Janeiro’s enormous touristic potential is not being fulfilled. Moreover, the entire hospitality infrastructure inside the Metropolitan Area is urban. With the construction of four luxury resorts in an idyllic location just 45 km away from the national airport (Santos Dumont) and international airport (Tom Jobim), we are going to make an incomparable contribution to the economic and touristic development of the whole State” – explains Emilio Izquierdo Merlo, executive president of IDB Brasil

A COMBINATION OF SHEER LUXURY AND STRICT SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS

MARAEY is not all about high-level tourism and accommodation. Located in the Environmental Protection Area (APA) of Maricá, which is a preserved area for sustainable use, the development will have a building area of just 6.6% – half the maximum allowed in the Management Plan issued for the region. The core assets of the project will be environmental protection, the re-valuation of the local fishing community of Zacarias, and investments in education and research in collaboration with some of the main academic institutions in the State.

The four MARAEY hotels will total two thousand rooms to host an average of 312,000 tourists per year. One of them will be the first Rock in Rio brand hotel, where guests will enjoy the best musical and entertainment experiences overlooking a spectacular beach of fine sand. This hotel will show a unique level of engagement and awareness through several actions, such as allocating 0.7% of overall turnover to sustainable projects (environmental, socio-cultural and education) and to the Rock in Rio Volunteer community. Three more international brands will be announced in the coming months. The brands will run an eco-boutique hotel inside the Private Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPN), a luxury hotel designed to be an important events center in Latin America, and an international resort around an 18-hole golf course.

MARAEY is not only a place for visitors. The development will include 7,000 new homes of different kinds: condos, duplexes, detached homes and villas. The residential buildings will have a maximum of four floors to blend into the environment in a non-invasive way. Residents and visitors will have access to the educational, healthcare, commerce, sports, leisure, and business services inside the development. MARAEY also will guarantee top security for the area, including the Zacarias community.

The MARAEY philosophy is that of a Smart City implementing information and communication technologies. Intelligent buildings and initiatives for the sustainable use of natural resources so as to lessen its impact on the environment. The local transportation system will be electric, reducing the amount of emissions released into the atmosphere. Moreover, the complex will feature a great many power charging points.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGAGEMENT AND TRAINING

Covering 8.5 km of beaches and 12 km of the Maricá Lagoon coast, the development area is paradise. Sadly, however, it has been suffering gradual degradation due to contamination in the lagoon and people illegally collecting sand and wood, as well as other environmental damage. The works for the environmental control and recovery of the degraded areas will be the core policy of the development. For example, the creation of a Nature Reserve to protect the restinga, the second-biggest RPPN in the Rio State, illustrates the responsibility of the project towards the comprehensive and constant preservation of the area and the commitment to manage it accordingly.

The total surface area of the development spans 840 hectares, only 6.6% of which will be built on by the end of the MARAEY construction. Apart from specific areas such as roads, paths, gardens and the existing area of Zacarias, 81% of the surface will be preserved or restored in order to protect the native vegetation.

Some of the most important research and educational institutions in the country such as UFRJ, UERJ, UFF, UFRRJ, UFES and FURG will be part of the MARAEY research center. This institution will focus on studying and researching the restinga flora and fauna as well as other ecosystems in the region.

All of the sanitation of the complex, including the Zacarias community, will receive tertiary treatment, the most modern in the world, as a guarantee that contamination will not be discharged in the sea or the lagoon. The treated waters will be transformed into reusable waters to irrigate the golf course and the gardens.

LOCAL COMMUNITY: DEED OF OWNERSHIP AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION

Social responsibility is one of the key pillars in the project. The Zacarias fishing community comprising some 200 families who currently live in legally precarious conditions will be benefited by a cadastral regularization process in the first phase of the Project, granting residents a definitive deed of ownership.

The community will gain from improvements in urban infrastructures, such as sanitation and road paving with the same characteristics as the rest of the development.

The tradition and culture of the community will be supported through important actions such as the creation of the Fisherman’s Craft House showing the history of their fishing activity and technical support to guarantee its continuity, along with a program to restore and disseminate the family memory of Zacarias. Fishing will be encouraged by a Maricá Lagoon recuperation program and the repopulation of native species.

– “The development is defined by environmental and social values. The community and its surroundings will be supported with a cultural memory recovery program, a Maricá Lagoon revitalization program and a program to repopulate native species. We are going to construct the Fisherman’s Craft House to display the history and local culture, and will work to guarantee that fishing continues” – said the executive director of IDB Brasil, David Galipienzo.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

The outlook for the creation of 18,000 direct jobs once MARAEY is in operation creates a huge demand for qualified workers in the tourism and service areas. In order to cover this necessity, the MARAEY University Campus will be created inside the development, led by one of the most acclaimed hospitality schools in the world, whose name will be announced in the coming months, with a capacity for 700 higher education students. Furthermore, with the creation of the Hospitality Training Center of Maricá for 3,000 intermediate-level students by the municipal council, the city will become a hub for training and service excellence, for technical and advanced qualifications.

ABOUT IDB BRASIL

IDB Brasil is the company created to develop the MARAEY project. It is controlled and managed by Spanish companies, including Abacus Property Development and Cetya Group, boasting certifications ISO 9002 and ISO 14001, having worked for more than 50 years in the global construction market, with various projects involving environmental recovery.

Cetya Group also includes the Cetya Foundation, investing 0.7% of company turnover in the development of sustainable projects in places where it has business, sponsoring sportive, cultural and social projects.