Huge high-end Red Sea resort on the cards by 2022

on the country’s Red
Sea coast by 2022.
The project will cover 50
islands and 34 000 square
kilometres – an area bigger
than Belgium – between
the cities of Umluj and
Al Wajh. The Red Sea
project will follow strict and
environmentally friendly
practices, including renewable
energy use and tight waste
management.
The first phase will see the
construction of the luxury
hotels and resorts, and
work on a new international
airport is expected to start by
2019 and be completed by
2022. The new tourist area
will include protected coral
reefs, extinct volcanoes and
a wildlife and nature reserve
featuring rarities such as
Arabian leopards and falcons.
Visitors to the resorts will
also be able to visit the
nearby Unesco World Heritage
Site, Madain Saleh, where
they can take part in activities
such as trekking, rock
climbing and parachuting.
Saudi Arabia has indicated
that it is prepared to relax
its strict laws, such as a ban
on drinking alcohol, to entice
more western holidaymakers.
According to an official
statement, the project could
attract one million visitors per
annum by 2035. To achieve
this ambitious goal, the newly
mapped semi-autonomous
area will be governed by ‘laws
on a par with international
standards’ that will include
visa exceptions for most
nationalities.
Product manager of kulula
holidays, Zahedah Bhorat,
says South African travellers
would welcome a new
destination by the Red Sea.
“Currently access to the Red
Sea is restricted.”
Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh
is currently the best-known
holiday destination in the
Red Sea, but due to recent
problems in the region,
tourism from South Africa
has declined, according to
Zahedah.
“A safe, separate access
to the Red Sea would be
welcomed,” she says. The
destination itself would be
really popular because the
climate has little seasonal
differences, with warm waters
and little to no rain. The sea
has a diverse ecosystem,
which would sell well to
divers because there are fish
that are unique to the area.
With the correct, competitive
pricing, this destination could
work with the South African
traveller.”
However, Zahedah says
kulula holidays will not
attempt to expand into this
area until the infrastructure
is more conducive to tourism.
“We will gauge the situation
when all the Saudi Arabian
resort plans have been
fulfilled in around 2022.”