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Feature - Saudi Arabia
The kingdom calls
Saudi Arabia stands firm in its mission to become one of the Middle East’s prime tourism destinations, with the country’s giga projects and heritage sites leading the charge The Red Sea destination
As the largest country in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia boasts a diverse landscape, with a striking blend of old and new. Once home to ancient Nabatean kingdoms, the country honours and celebrates its rich heritage – evident in its perfectly preserved historic sites juxtaposed with its modern cities bursting with vibrancy. With plenty to offer travellers and change sweeping the nation as new avenues for exploration continue to open up, Saudi Arabia is well on its way to becoming a tourism force in the Middle East. Thanks to the Vision 2030 project, which was announced in 2016, the kingdom has invested billions of dollars in launching new culture, leisure and entertainment projects, a few of which are already mesmerising the masses. It’s all part of the government’s plan to channel a sum of US$800 billion by 2030 into developing everything, from transportation to city infrastructure, in order to support its overall vision. This strategy has significantly enhanced
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the country’s appeal as a tourist destination and has set the kingdom on track to achieve its goal of welcoming 100 million visitors by 2030. THE GIGA PROJECT EFFECT A focus for Saudi Arabia has been the transformation of its hospitality landscape, which the country has been able to do by launching a series of giga projects across the kingdom. Among these, Neom, the Red Sea destination, Amaala, Diriyah Gate and Qiddiya are taking shape. These massive projects make the most of the exceptional biodiversity in their surrounds to offer an all-encompassing leisure experience to modern travellers. Equal emphasis is placed on promoting the country’s heritage, with the destination of AlUla leading the charge in this sphere. Responsible tourism also is top of mind amid the ongoing development, with projects such as Green Riyadh.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE One of the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism projects, The Red Sea destination will offer an exclusive experience of unparalleled diversity when it opens. Made up of 90 islands, this giga project encompasses miles of sweeping desert and mountain landscapes, peppered with accommodation options for all types of travellers. “Under the guidance of the kingdom’s visionary leadership, we have taken important steps in leading the industry towards a new frontier in regenerative tourism,” explained John Pagano, CEO, The Red Sea Development Company. “To date, we have signed over 800 contracts worth in excess of US$5.3 billion – including nine hotel management agreements in the last quarter of 2021 – to bring world-leading, luxury hospitality to the Red Sea destination. We have made significant progress on the ground, with hotels and other assets now taking shape following sustainable
off-site manufacturing efforts both in the kingdom and further afield. “Designs for a spectacular mountain resort nestled between the beautiful wadi vistas in the west of the country were revealed as a testament to our commitment to provide truly distinctive opportunities for the world’s most discerning travellers.” Pagano added: “These luxury offerings will form part of the first phase of development scheduled for 2023, featuring 16 hotels out of the 50 that we have planned in total. Visitors will be able to enjoy authentic and bespoke experiences that will provide rare access to undiscovered coastlines, islands, lagoons, mountain ranges and dormant volcanoes.” “Sheltered warm waters amidst mangrove forests will serve as sites for kayaking and diving to witness the world’s fourth-largest barrier reef system – including 314 species of pristine coral. Historical and archaeological sites will celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, while the highest quality of personalised hospitality and smart services will enable a frictionless visitor journey.” With completion set for 2030, the project will transform the tourism and hospitality landscape in north-west Saudi Arabia. It will be home to 50 resorts, offering 8,000 hotel rooms and more than 1,000 residential properties that span 22 islands and six inland sites. The destination will also include an international airport, luxury marinas, championship golf courses and an array of entertainment and leisure facilities. Pagano said: “By 2030, the Red Sea destination will contribute US$5 billion per year to the local GDP, while construction and 10 years of steadystate operations will generate cumulative revenues of US$123 billion by 2044.” The Red Sea destination is equally invested in its sustainability efforts and aims to set a new standard in sustainable development.“We are investing heavily in renewables, conservation and innovative technology, and have partnered with leading architects, designers and scientists to help us transform our vision into reality,” explained Pagano. “In practice, this means that, despite an expansive area of 28,000 square kilometres, we are leaving 75 percent of the islands untouched and designating nine islands as special conservation zones, while developing only less than one percent of the total site area – never seen before in a documented coastal development plan in the world. We believe that regenerative tourism is the only way forward to yield maximum benefits for the economy, environment and society. We envision the Red Sea destination as a catalyst in the global transition to regeneration while exemplifying Saudi Arabia’s efforts in creating a sustainable future for the region.”
09/05/2022 5:49 PM
