1. The Red Sea is billed as “the world’s most ambitious luxury tourism development.” What have been the biggest milestones you’ve achieved so far in this project?
2023 marked a special year of milestones that we will never forget. For starters, our first two resorts officially opened to the world: Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea and St Regis Red Sea Resort, making a total of 166 keys available to visitors. Nujuma, a Ritz Carlton Reserve, is now receiving bookings. Three more resorts are scheduled to open in 2024. Next year, 19 more resorts will open across The Red Sea and AMAALA. We celebrated our first flight to our state-of-the-art, dedicated Red Sea International Airport in September 2023 and welcomed the first international flight from Dubai on April 18.
2. The project has a pivotal role in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy. How does the Red Sea destination impact the local economy and job market?
Central to our mission is regenerative tourism, which makes us a cornerstone of Vision 2030. Regenerative tourism dictates that we serve people as well as our planet, creating opportunities for Saudis and the economy to protect, preserve and actively enhance the environment around us. At The Red Sea, we are creating 70,000 new jobs and developing talent for the expanding tourism sector. To nurture this talent, RSG is funding scholarships for students pursuing hospitality and tourism degrees at the University of Prince Mugrin and hosting multiple training and graduate programs for thousands of students.
3. How about the biggest challenges? How are you addressing them?
Eleven percent of all global CO2 emissions come from the industry, and we recognize the need to curtail this. Our ambitious regenerative efforts fall in line with a target of achieving a 30 percent net conservation benefit by 2040. Current initiatives include planting mangrove forests (nearly three million seedlings already in the ground) and pursuing coral regeneration.

4. How are you balancing luxury tourism with environmental sustainability and conservation?
Some of our experiences allow for direct interaction with regenerative initiatives, including visiting Corallium, our marine life institute at AMAALA that focuses on coral regeneration and other marine programs. Additionally, we are creating inclusive ways for guests to experience sustainability and explore our oceans. The Red Sea and AMAALA will be home to Saudi’s first PADI Adaptive Service Facilities, opening the experience up to divers of all abilities by adding wheelchair access to sites as well as having adaptive technique instructors available.

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