Saudi Arabia is building new resorts and hotels designed to be regenerative.
ADVERTISEMENTAn ambitious regenerative tourism project is taking shape on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, where Red Sea Global is building three luxury tourism projects.
It focuses on renewable energy, social responsibility and scientific protection of fragile ecosystems.
The already opened Thuwal Private Retreat is a small, exclusive island retreat with five keys, an hour's drive from Jeddah city.
The Red Sea project is located on a crystal clear water archipelago of 90 islands, of which only five are under development. Four islands already welcome visitors to the 5-star St Regis Resort, The Ritz Carlton Reserve and Shebara, the first luxury resort fully owned and operated by Red Sea Global.
Added to this is Red Sea Global's Six Senses Southern Dunes Resort, which opened in November 2023.
What John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global, describes as “the main event” will take place next year with the construction of 11 new resorts in Red Sea. The AMAALA destination, located at the northern edge of the coastline, will be a group of eight additional stations.
Saudi Arabia's regenerative tourism projects
“We described it as one of the last hidden gems in the world, but with that came a huge responsibility. How can we develop in a way that not only protects but seeks to enhance this destination? Pagano explains.
Red Sea Global called on scientific partners to understand the biodiversitymapping the entire destination and assigning conservation values to each part of it. The goal is to increase the net conservation value by 30 percent over the next decades.
This includes preserving the world's fourth largest barrier reef system, with a coral regeneration facility using microfragmentation techniques to replicate the coral spawning environment.
Since the plants protect the island landscape from sea level rise and erosion and help sequester carbon, the goal is to plant 50 million mangroves by 2030. One million mangroves have been planted l last year and two million this year.
50% of all resort operations run on renewable energy, including a UV charging network powered by renewable energy. Water is produced by reverse osmosis.
The aim is to save up to five million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year at the Red Sea and AMAALA destinations once fully completed.
Pagano says the project is “inspired by nature, led by science” in “the world’s largest tourism destination, powered 100% by the sun” 365 days a year.
Activities at the luxury resorts are designed to further support the regeneration of the local ecosystem, including responsible diving to protect coral reefs, eco-friendly water sports and land-based adventures including hiking trails and ziplines.
How does Red Sea Global invest in the local community?
The projects prioritize hiring local workers, with 30 to 40 percent of all hires coming from surrounding areas.
ADVERTISEMENTOther community investments come from professional programs and the upskilling of young Saudis through scholarship programs to study international hotel management at the University of Medina, a leading hospitality school. These programs are designed to ultimately lead to direct employment with Red Sea Global or partner hotel companies.
“We cannot develop in a sustainable way and in a way regenerator way if you don’t involve your local community,” Pagano says.
Aligning with the Saudi Green Initiative
Saudi Arabia has very ambitious goals with its green initiative. “Our values and our mission were to put Saudi Arabia on the global tourism map, but also to do it in a way that made it the most regenerative destination in the world,” explains Pagano, emphasizing the shift from 'an oil dependence with a priority on sustainable and long-term development. futures industries.
“They want to be that fossil fuels were in the world, but with green hydrogen,” adding that the Saudis have committed to having 50% of their energy come from renewables by 2030.
ADVERTISEMENTPagano says people are willing to pay more for this type of tourism, especially younger generations, who are more environmentally conscious. “There aren’t many of these options available in the world, and we’re creating that option.”
The project, which will see 50 hotels in Red Sea and another 30 in AMAALA, is expected to be fully completed by 2030.
