NEWS SPECIAL REPORT
aims to achieve a 30% net positive conservation benefit by 2040, by enhancing the natural habitats and helping boost the biodiversity.
Fam trips The UK travel trade looks set to get its first experience of the resorts in 2023 when fam trips are planned, said Loredana Pettinati, senior director of travel trade for Red Sea Global. The first resorts to open from
next May will be two on Ummahat Island – St Regis Red Sea Resort, and Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve – and Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea, in the desert. Other hotel brands will also be
upscale, including Rosewood, Faena, Miraval, Edition and SLS. There will be 16 resorts in total,
plus an 18-hole golf course, a marina, and entertainment and retail facilities. As well as targeting leisure guests,
the destination will also cater for corporate and leisure events. The Red Sea International
airport, 20 minutes away from the main resorts, will also open in 2023. For the first year, it will be only a
domestic terminal with flights from Jeddah and Riyadh, but by 2024 it will start operating international services, with Dubai set to be the first overseas destination.
travelweekly.co.uk
We are
positioning Saudi Arabia as the luxury destination that is fully sustainable
Pettinati said travellers coming
from London will initially have two two options: to fly to Riyadh, which takes six hours and 25 minutes, and then take an hour-and-a-half flight to The Red Sea resorts, or fly to Jeddah, which takes six hours, then take a 40-minute flight north along the coast.
UK partnerships Red Sea Global had a large exhibition stand alongside other Saudi exhibitors at World Travel Market London earlier this month to showcase The Red Sea and Amaala. It was the first time the company
had its own stand at the event, and it welcomed dignitaries such as Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s tourism minister; Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary-general of the UN World Tourism Organization; and Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi ambassador to the UK.
Pettinati said: “Our message [at
WTM] was that we are ready to welcome guests by May 2023. “We are positioning Saudi Arabia
as the luxury tourism destination that is fully sustainable and regenerative. “Visitors can enjoy the islands
and coral but we also have more to offer – desert, mountains, volcanoes, mangroves and amazing culture and heritage.” She is working with tour
operators and luxury travel agents to generate awareness ahead of the creation of packages early next year.
Trade support Prices for holidays at The Red Sea will compare with those in destinations such as the Seychelles, Mauritius and Maldives, and feature many of the same brands, Pettinati said. “We will offer the travel trade
webinars, sales calls and toolkits with lots of information about the destination,” she added. “The UK is a priority market for the team.” She said there may be “some
caution” in the coming months because of the rising cost of living but added: “There is a huge appetite
for once-in-a-lifetime journeys. Travellers who are set to engage with our destination are some of the most resilient. “The Red Sea is something that
has not been seen in the market before – our target audience is looking for something unique.” Visitors may also combine a
holiday in The Red Sea with another Saudi destination, such as AlUla, which is a three-hour drive away. Activities include desert hiking
and diving to see some of 314 species of fish on the coral reef. Asked about visitors from the
LGBTQ community, Pettinati said: “We welcome everyone in our destinations; we just ask guests to follow local customs and respect the culture, like any other Middle East destination. Locals are at the heart of what we do and will be ambassadors for our guests. “The invitation is open to
everyone, and we are looking forward to building our community.”
redseaglobal.com
visitredsea.com
24 NOVEMBER 2022 15
Pristine corals in the Red Sea
Loredana Pettinati
Raed Albasseet mbeds sustainability’
PICTURE:
www.below-surface.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92
