The first hotels being built by Saudi Arabian company Red Sea Global, sponsor of this special edition, are due to open in May 2023. The developers tell Samantha Mayling how they are creating sustainable and regenerative tourism


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n ambitious destination on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia will start to welcome its


first guests in May 2023. And sustainability and


regeneration are core values for the developer, Red Sea Global, which says eco-friendly policies have been embedded since the start of its first project, called The Red Sea. The previously undeveloped


landscape comprises coral reefs, beaches, mangrove swamps, deserts, seagrass, a dormant volcano, mountains, wadi environments and cultural sites. Red Sea Global says it is “seeking to


lead the world towards a more sustain- able future, showing how responsible and regenerative development can uplift communities, drive economies and enhance the environment”. Red Sea Global’s second


destination project, Amaala – also on the west coast of Saudi Arabia – is set to open at the end of 2024. The projects form part of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision strategy, which aims to open up the kingdom to international tourism and to invest in a more diverse and sustainable economy.


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Islands and reef Spanning almost 11,000 square miles, The Red Sea destination includes more than 90 islands and the world’s fourth-largest barrier reef. By 2030, The Red Sea will offer


50 hotels, 8,000 rooms, more than 1,000 residential properties and its own international airport.


14 24 NOVEMBER 2022


We are obliged


to be regenerative. We engaged with the scientists first, rather than the engineers


Raed Albasseet, chief environment


and sustainability officer, said the environment, conservation and sustainability are “part of our DNA”. “We are obliged to be


regenerative,” he said, explaining how the environment and sustainability team has been involved with every stage of development at The Red Sea. “We started to engage with the


scientists first, rather than the master planners and engineers,” he said. They consulted experts at King


Abdullah University of Science and Technology to find ways to minimise the pressure on the marine ecosystems and habitats and to improve them where they can – for example, tackling the problems of cats preying on birds and turtle nests. “We have taken it upon ourselves


to remove those pressures, so that the site is positive because of our presence,” Albasseet said. “We invest in the natural capital to enhance the ecosystem in the lagoon.” Three-quarters of the islands


have been left untouched, with nine islands designated as conservation zones dedicated to research, and new mangroves are being created.


Existing trees are being protected


and local species are being planted around the hotels and roads “to benefit the ecosystem”. All power will come from


renewable solar sources, and travellers will move around the destination by electric cars and electric boats. Visitors will be able to see the


sustainability projects as part of their holiday, Albasseet added. “We hope they will understand


they’re part of the story of trying to develop in a different way that adds to the environment and local community,” he said. “Everything has been carefully


thought through and done in the way that makes the experience luxurious but integrated with nature.”


Guest experiences Guests will be able to learn about marine life at the coral nurseries and how the regeneration work means fish species that have not been seen for years are now returning. Albasseet’s team is supporting


farmers in the region and working towards providing “a good percentage” of food for the hotels to be produced locally. They are assessing the demand for


local fish and seafood to be provided to the hotels so that the levels of fishing will be sustainable. Albasseet said the destination


travelweekly.co.uk


Dormant volcano


Nujama, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, at The Red Sea


Harrat Lunayyir is part of The Red Sea destination


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