Inside Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea: Everything you need to know

The Red Sea destination is on track to welcome visitors by early 2023, RSG’s mandate has expanded to oversee over a dozen projects along the coast of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea, with potential expansion into the kingdom in the future.

“We are not only expanding our footprint to help create massive economic opportunities – valued at hundreds of billions worth of riyals – for the people of Saudi Arabia. We also want to set new global standards in development and inspire the industry to do better,” John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global (RSG).

RSG has a portfolio of projects along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia with additional projects underway, the expansion also includes the establishment of subsidiary businesses to drive the tourism sector.

The Red Sea

The Red Sea is surrounded by the world’s fourth-largest barrier reef system and spans over 28,000-square-kilometers with an archipelago of more than 90 untouched islands, pristine beaches, dormant volcanos, sweeping desert dunes, mountain canyons and historical cultural sites.

The Red Sea will be ready to welcome the first guests in 2023. By 2030 it will be home to 50 hotels, 8,000 rooms, up to 1,000 residential properties and its own international airport.

The Red Sea aims to achieve a 30 percent net positive conservation benefit by 2040, achieved by enhancing key habitats that help biodiversity to flourish.

AMAALA

AMAALA will offer one of the world’s most exclusive luxury wellness & sports retreats. Guests will be able to enjoy a wide range of recreational activities, gain access to a sports performance academy, a world-class yacht club at Triple Bay, and active sports club facilities including equestrian, polo, camel racing, falconry, golf, and tennis.

The destination’s Cultural Village will be an ode to international and Arabian contemporary art with artisan galleries and numerous installations.

AMAALA will operate with a zero-carbon footprint, be powered by renewable energy with no connection to the national grid, and contribute to zero waste to landfill. Only 5 percent of the destination area will be developed.

The Red Sea Marine Life Institute in AMAALA will combine multidimensional guest experiences with conservation-driven research, the first-of-its-kind facility will drive global green and blue innovations, and to protect and enhance the thriving Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia.

AMAALA’s first phase of development, Triple Bay, is set for completion in 2024 and will consist of six hotels and over 1,000 hotel keys. When fully complete in 2027, it will offer approximately 3,000 hotel rooms in around 25 hotels as well as 200 high-end retail establishments, fine dining, wellness, and recreational facilities.

Shura Island

The main hub island at The Res Sea, Shura is shaped like a natural dolphin, due to open to guests in 2024, the island will house 11 world-class hotels and resorts including Edition, Fairmont, Raffles, SLS, Intercontinental, Jumeirah, Miraval, Rosewood and Grand Hyatt brands.

Amenities like an 18-hole golf course, a marina, a beach club, luxury retail options and more will be available for guests to enjoy.

The archipelago where Shura Island is located is home to the world’s fourth largest barrier reef system, the island is connected to the mainland by a 3.3km crossing, including a 1.2km bridge – the longest internal bridge in Saudi Arabia.

Red Sea International Airport

RSI is pioneering a new operational approach to reduce the time spent completing the arrival or departure process. There will be no baggage claims area. Instead, luggage will be delivered to guests’ hotel room to shorten processing times.

The airport also features state-of-the-art amenities, a spa and high-quality restaurants to choose from. The airport will serve one million passengers a year and is the first and only airport in the Middle East and North Africa that serves amphibious seaplanes and is linked to water aerodromes.

The airport is situated within three hours flying time of 250 million people and eight hours flying time for 80 percent of the world’s population.

Landscape Nursery

The now fully operational project will provide more than 25 million plants for The Red Sea and AMAALA, reducing the need for reliance on foreign species.

Six water tanks with 18,000m3 capacity each will hydrate the landscape nursery.

Four shade houses have been constructed, each with an area of 31,320m2.

Coastal Village

The village is a residential and commercial area set to house over 14,000 workers, staff, and management at The Red Sea. The Coastal Village has corporate offices, housing, restaurants and a range of leisure and recreational facilities.

As of August 2022, there were 700 people living in the Coastal Village and this number is expected to reach 1,000 by the end of the year. The area is 1.5 million square meters in size.

Sheybarah Island

The island is situated at a 45-minute distance from the mainland surrounded by crystal clear waters and 30 to 40-meter reef drop-off close to the beach, the island has 73 keys across both inland and overwater accommodation.

Reflective overwater orbs and inland luxury villas are on Sheybarah Island, each overwater orb weighs around 150 tons.

Ummahat Islands

Home to St. Regis Red Sea Resort and Nujuma, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, the island has a wide range of water-based activities including sailing, windsurfing and kayaking through mangrove forests. Also featuring overwater restaurants and premium wellness areas, the St. Regis Red Sea Resort is designed by world-renowned architects Kengo Kuma, the hotel’s roofs are curved to create a harmonious relationship with the ground and the Ritz-Carlton Reserve is designed by Foster + Partners.

Southern Dunes

One of two inland resorts, it is based around 100km northeast of the town of Umluj. The project has 40 villas, the first Six Senses in Saudi Arabia. The resort features two signature restaurants, an outdoor pool, fitness center, and world-class Six Senses Spa

Desert Rock

The mountain resort has 60 keys which includes 50 villas and 10 hotel rooms, it features state-of-the-art facilities with accommodation built into the mountains.

Guests will be able to hike, use dune buggies or stargaze as part of the array of activities available at Desert Rock.

The existing projects underway are projected to contribute over 33 billion riyals to Saudi Arabia’s economy on completion, RSG also intends to focus on comprehensive training programs for the next generation of Saudi talent.

Red Sea Global has pledged to contribute a 30 percent net conservation benefit to the projects’ area by 2040.