The Almutlaq Real Estate Investment Co. (AREIC), a division of the Al Mutlaq Group, and The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the company driving the largest regenerative tourism initiative in the world, have engaged in a joint venture partnership recently.

According to the agreement, the two companies will come together to develop a 159-key luxury resort — Jumeirah, The Red Sea. It will be established on the Red Sea’s hub island, Shura. The deal, which is worth over SAR 1.5 billion (USD 400 million), will steer the Red Sea Project initiated by the Saudi government. The luxurious resort is now under development and is scheduled to open to the public in the coming two years. A golf course, more than a hundred-berth marina, residential apartments, extensive shopping, eating, and entertainment centers will be there on Shura Island as components of the first phase of development for the Red Sea Project. The strategic collaboration, the first Joint Venture for TRSDC, shows the business sector’s belief in transforming the Red Sea into a new tourist destination.

Jumeirah, The Red Sea is a significant opening for Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Project. It is a part of the first wave of hotels to open along the giga-project. The Jumeirah team is sure that it understands the functioning of the market as the Dubai-based business starts to develop hotels in Saudi Arabia.

The joint venture

This joint venture investment furthered the private sector’s commitment to sustainable development and regenerative tourism. This agreement also boosts the Kingdom’s goals of Vision 2030 to diversify economic growth prospects.

The joint venture with AREIC illustrates the considerable willingness of the business sector to engage in and invest in Vision 2030, even though finance for phase one of The Red Sea Project is already secured and in place. In a similar framework, TRSDC is in simultaneous conversations with several many other companies about investing in Saudi’s most ambitious, the Red Sea Project. It wants to collaborate with these companies to invest in commercial assets, such as its hotels and resorts, leisure activities, and retail and eating establishments. Additionally, the developer’s increasing portfolio includes AMAALA and other projects that will soon be launched, providing new prospects for investors.

As the first-ever green financing in Riyals, TRSDC was recognized with two awards — the Best New Green Loan Financing Project Award at the International Finance Awards 2022 and the Project Finance Deal of the Year Award at the Capital Markets Saudi Arabia Awards in 2021.

The Red Sea Project has made considerable strides on the ground, with Phase One now more than halfway finished and a number of crucial assets, including corporations and offices, a four-star hotel, and the biggest landscape nursery in the area, already fully functioning.

The Red Sea Project will have 50 resorts when it is finished in 2030, delivering more than a thousand residential homes and hotel rooms across 20+ islands and around six inland places. The location will also have a luxury marina, golf course, entertainment venues, and an international airport.

Suggested Read: Top 13 Beach Resorts In Saudi Arabia For A Peaceful Retreat

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What is the Red Sea project?

The Red Sea Project is one of the world’s most ambitious tourism projects. It will comprise of a new sprawling complex that will be present on the shores of the Tabuk province on the west coast of Saudi Arabia. The project’s core area will be between Umluj and Al-Wajh cities and will cover 90 small islands encompassing a mammoth 28,000 square kilometers.

• The first phase of the Red Sea project will complete in 2022.
• The first luxury destinations developed in this phase will be opened for tourists soon.
• The project aims to give a major fillip to the country’s tourism goals and will also help create 70,000 plus new jobs.
• A primary goal of the project is to create a global tourism destination that respects and supports sustainability.

Project timeline

The Red Sea project was announced in 2017 by Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman and formally commenced in the same year. Construction work started in 2019. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by 2022. The entire project is expected to be completed in 2030.

Red Sea Project location

The Red Sea project, along the Western coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, will be between Umluj and Al Wajh. The location has been carefully chosen as the area has a moderate climate throughout the year. The average summer temperature is around 31°C. A lagoon with 50 pristine and untouched natural islands stretching over 200 kilometers of the Red Sea coastline has been chosen as an exquisite luxury resort destination.

How to Reach

Tourists can take a flight, a private bus, or a car from Riyadh to Umluj. The distance is around 1200 km. Tourists can also travel to Umluj from Jeddah. It is a better and more convenient way of reaching the site. The distance is about 486 km. Additionally, tourists can also fly from Jeddah to Umluj.

The new project will also include a brand new international airport, making traveling to the destination easily. A major road infrastructure development is also part of the Red Sea project. It will involve the construction of 77 km of new roads that will connect with the airport to roads, highways, and roads within the new project. As the Red Sea project will focus on travel and tourism, the aim will be to make it as convenient and comfortable as possible for tourists to reach the destination.

Major tourist attractions

There are many goals of the Red Sea project, and all of them aim to increase the appeal of the Kingdom to the global tourists and encourage them to visit the country. The major attractions of the Red Sea project are:

1. Heritage sites

The region has footprints of numerous trading routes dating back to the Nabatean civilization. The site is uniquely positioned on the pilgrimage route when traveling from Egypt to the Holy Cities of Makkah and Madinah. Tourists can trace the routes of traders from the past and discover the remnants of history they have left behind. There are some exciting excursion potentials also available nearby. Most notable of them all is the Nabatean City of Mada’in Saleh which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

2. Pristine and untouched islands

With the Red Sea Project, there is a concerted effort to provide visitors access to a set of unique environmental settings comprising stunning beaches, captivating canyons, majestic mountains, and eye-catching mangroves. Visitors will have a wonderful time on the pristine, sandy beaches, bright sunny weather, and sheltered warm waters. A major attraction here is the world’s fourth-largest barrier reef system. It is home to various endangered species and unseen corals. The 90-plus untouched islands are one of the project’s major highlights. Nearly 75 percent of these islands will remain in the same virgin state, while nine are the areas of special environmental interest. Apart from exciting eco-excursions, the islands will also offer access to many water sports activities, which will be carefully controlled and monitored.

3. An abundance of nature

The famous Hijaz Mountains form part of the Red Sea project and house a series of rare species of life. These include hawksbill turtles, wildcats, dugongs, and many others. The lagoon has a rich population of corals and fish of different species. It also has a few endangered seabirds. Prominent among them are the crab plover and the sooty falcon. The project is committed to preserving these habitats. That’s why 75 percent of the islands will not be included in the project’s development design.

4. Exposure to Saudi culture

There is warm hospitality omnipresent in the air in the Kingdom. Visitors will experience this the moment they touch down on Saudi soil. The Red Sea project will showcase the country’s amazing hospitality at every touch point. Visitors will learn about the distinct culture of the country. They can avail of the opportunities to view the lifestyle of the people from close quarters. The project also aims to highlight the country’s best culinary delights and the meticulous craftsmanship of artisans, honed to perfection over decades of practice.

5. The natural beauty of inland

The project will provide an insight into the area’s top natural features, including volcanic craters and mountain ranges. Natural desert rock carvings, archaeological riches, and heritage spice trails are available all over the region. The UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Nabatean City of Mada’in Saleh, is located near the project. The volcanic field of Harrat Lunayyir with mineral-rich soils and clays is another major attraction.

Suggested Read: Scuba Diving In Saudi Arabia: 6 Cities To Explore The Red Sea Reefs

Project objectives

The Red Sea project will be one of the world’s best luxury resort destinations involving numerous islands of a lagoon and an abundance of nature and culture. It aims to set exacting standards for sustainable development and will be the next generation definition of luxury travel. The primary goal is to put Saudi Arabia on the international tourism map.

Other primary objectives of the Red Sea Project are:

• Ensuring protection of 90-plus islands, desert dunes, mountains, and landscapes.
• Improving the environment and biodiversity of the 28,000 square-meter sites.
• Restoration and expansion of damaged coral reefs
• Sequestration of carbon through seagrass meadows and mangrove forests
• Protecting and sustaining the social fabric within the project area
• Creating sustainable employment opportunities for locals
• Creating and delivering unique cultural experiences for tourists
• Setting the gold standard benchmark for future hospitality and sustainability projects

The Red Sea Project, a prominent module of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, is a genuinely matchless initiative. The project’s central aim is to catapult the country into the global tourism scene as a major player. The project’s timeline has two key phases. Phase one of the project will be completed by the end of 2023. The second and final phase will complete by the end of 2030, when all the 22 islands, the six island sites, and 48 luxury hotels will be fully developed.

Suggested Read: Saudi Arabia Tourism 2022: Top Cities, Itinerary, Do’s and Don’ts

Red Sea Project FAQs

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Ecotourism in Saudi Arabia: Objectives

While Saudi Arabia has always been known for its oilfields and industry, the government is now focusing on several ecotourism initiatives for the future. Following are the key goals and objectives of Saudi ecotourism:

1. Impact reduction: The rise in ecotourism in Saudi Arabia will mitigate the environmental impact of mass tourism and its resource-intensive infrastructure. The Saudi Arabian government will use renewable energy and dispose of waste properly to reduce tourism’s impact.

2. Environmental advantage: Saudi Arabia’s ecotourism program aims to offer a clear advantage to the environment. The government wants to contribute profits from ecotourism toward ecological conservation.

3. Decrease in oil dependence: Rise in ecotourism in Saudi Arabia is a part of Vision 2030, an ambitious goal to reduce Saudi Arabia’s reliance on oil. The aim is to grow the country’s gross domestic product due to tourism from 3% to 10% by 2030.

Key eco-tourism projects in Saudi Arabia

Here is a detailed list latest projects and places in Saudi Arabia for ecotourism:

1. Green Riyadh Project – Cover of acacia trees

One of the most ambitious urban afforestation efforts globally is the Riyadh Green Project. The Green Riyadh Project aims to make the city greener and more environmentally friendly by 2030 by planting many trees. Over 10 million trees will be planted along the roads, in gardens, parks (urban and natural), around mosques, schools and universities, public buildings, healthcare institutes, car parks, and other locations. Green Riyadh will contribute significantly to the enhancement of the variety of green spaces in the Saudi capital. Experts have selected acacia trees for this project because of their inherent capacity to resist the region’s arid climate. Many experts estimate that the Green Project will have a sociological and urban impact by providing shade for pedestrians and an environmental and climatic impact by lowering air and dust pollution. It will also assist in reducing the city’s temperature by 1-2°C.

2. Red Sea Project – Environment friendly leisure travel

The Red Sea Project is a development project aimed at developing a luxury destination around one of the world’s recently discovered natural wonders. The project will set new regenerative tourism and sustainable development norms by spanning pristine lands and oceans and including a vast archipelago of more than 90 islands. Mountain canyons, dormant volcanoes, old culture, and historical monuments are all part of the destination. Hotels, residential structures, leisure facilities, and entertainment businesses will all be part of the Red Sea Project. Its overall goal is to open up prospects in the hospitality sector and to demonstrate Saudi Arabia’s vast potential.

Tourist activities: Tourists can stay in coastal villages, luxury hotels, and hyper-luxury hotels or indulge in recreational activities and excursions. Further, they can also immerse in the natural beauty of the surrounding region.

3. NEOM Project – Futuristic ecotourism site

In line with Saudi Vision 2030, the NEOM project aspires to create excellent livability, successful enterprises, and conservation results. It is a planned city in Tabuk province, in the northwest Saudi Arabia. The city will feature smart towns and communities, research areas, enterprise zones, and leisure areas. The project’s objective is to attract over 1 million citizens and tourists from all over the world. The NEOM project aims to be entirely powered by renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy. The project arose from Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, which intends to reduce its oil reliance, diversify its economy, and expand the public sector. Once the construction is completed, the city will have robots to undertake tasks like logistics, security, caring, and home delivery.

Tourist activities: Tourists visiting NEOM project can witness robots performing major tasks like delivering food, safeguarding apartments and etcetera in the near future. They can also unwind in the leisure and recreational areas, and enjoy state-of-the-art infrastructure and a futuristic lifestyle.

Popular eco-tourism activities, Saudi Arabia

1. Wildlife and nature safari – Ideal way to experience nature

Though Saudi Arabia is mainly a desert country, it offers numerous lush green areas owning to several oases. One can easily spot diverse species of animals and birds in the kingdom. It is a great place to enjoy and relax in a natural setting of mountains, valleys, lakes, and national parks. Also, desert of Saudi Arabia have their own importance and provide an opportunity to get involved in wildlife safari.

Best sites for wildlife and nature safari in Saudi Arabia: Asir National Park is one of Saudi Arabia’s most unspoiled wilderness areas, as well as the country’s first national park. The national park dates back to the late 1980s and features a variety of picnic and camping areas, nature walks, and hiking paths. It is home to over 300 different bird and animal species. For those who like a day of dune buggy riding, dune bashing, kite flying, sandboarding, picnics, and barbeques, Al-Kharrarah Park is a popular site to visit. The national park also has a hidden lake which adds on to the beauty of the area.

Suggested Read: Saudi Arabian Deserts: For An Unusual Adventure In The Arid Dunes

2. Hiking and camping – Peak into the Arabian desert

Hiking is a popular tourist activities that are performed at various sites present all across the country. Tourists have the option of trailing in the valleys, or climbing up many renowned mountains of Saudi Arabia. The kingdom also features a salt rich crater that provides excellent hiking opportunity. Further, one can camp at many hiking sites and camping sites located in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Popular sites for hiking and camping in Saudi Arabia: Gubaloovka OHV Trail is a 95.6-kilometer point-to-point route near Riyadh that’s popular for camping, scenic driving, and off-roading. It’s open all year. Another good hiking site is Al-Wahba Crater. It is 820 feet (250 meters) deep and readily explored on foot, making the area ideal for hiking. However, visitors should bring their fuel, tents, blankets, food, lots of water, and extra supplies while arranging a camping trip to Wahba Crater.

Must Read: 5 Most Popular And Beautiful Trekking Trails In Saudi Arabia

3. Diving and shipwrecks in the Red Sea – Beautiful red coral reefs

Named after its stunning red corals, Red Sea is noted for its comprehensive and diversified environment. It has several fish species and a wide variety of pristine reefs with magnificent sizes. The sea offers excellent spots for scuba divers and snorkeling enthusiasts. In addition, the Red Sea also features some of the fascinating shipwreck sites.

Popular diving sites in Saudi Arabia: Ann Ann Wreck, Jabal Al Lith, Cable Wreck, The Farasan Banks, Al Lith, Boiler Wreck, Miss Marie Wreck, Seven Sisters, and Abu Galawa are some of the popular sites in Red Sea.

Characteristics of eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia

Here are significant characteristics of Saudi ecotourism:

• To inform tourists about the importance of conservation
• To lessen the negative impacts on the environment and society
• Using ecological and social baseline studies and long-term monitoring programs to analyze and mitigate effects
• To illustrate community demands and provide conservation benefits, and emphasize the importance of accountable local governments and people
• To concentrate on the need for regional tourist zoning and visitor management strategies for locations or natural regions likely to become eco-destinations
• Profits will be regulated by maintaining and preserving the ecosystem and protected areas
• Improve the nation’s, communities, and local trades’ financial benefits, particularly for those who live near natural and protected regions
• Rely on environmentally friendly infrastructures, minimize the usage of fossil fuels, protect local plants and wildlife while still supporting the natural and cultural ecosystem

Making Saudi Arabia more environmentally friendly is one of the Kingdom’s primary goals. Additionally, Saudi Arabia recognizes the potential of ecotourism and is seeking to establish itself as the region’s preferred destination. Ecotourism will attract tourists worldwide by offering intelligent towns and cities, research regions, enterprise zones, and entertainment locations.

Eco-tourism In Saudi Arabia FAQs

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