The Red Sea Project in Saudi Arabia will limit its visitor numbers in order to keep the destination sustainable and “enhance the environment”.
In an interview with Arab News, Najwah Hamzeh, senior smart destinations director at the Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), said: “We are limiting the number of tourists to the destination to keep it sustainable and to enhance the environment.”
Hamzeh said TRSDC is working to ensure that “a hundred years from now, we are going to experience exactly the same natural treasures in the Red Sea”.
“Our offering from the beginning is luxury and ultra-luxury,” she added. “It is not going to be a cheap destination.”
“The Red Sea and Amaala project will really set new standards,” Hamzeh said.
“We are evolving naturally to become a model or an example for regenerative tourism destinations in the world.”
Attractions reveal benefits of limited capacity
Similarly, Disney’s CFO Christine McCarthy has spoken about theme park capacity in the wake of the pandemic. “We don’t want to have the parks bursting at the seams,” she said.
Disney has found that guests have a more enjoyable time when its theme parks aren’t too crowded, which has resulted in increased spending. “If you’re having a good time, you’re probably inclined to spend more money,” McCarthy said.
The Red Sea Project’s first phase, which includes a total of 16 hotels, is set to launch by 2023. The development will be home to 50 resorts, 8,000 hotel rooms, an international airport, and a wealth of entertainment and leisure facilities when it completes in 2030.
In October, TRSDC confirmed the signing of a series of hotel management agreements. The company later announced Saudi Arabia’s first-ever underwater shipwreck excavation.
The Red Sea Development Company is producing seafood sustainably at the destination, and recently unveiled its designs for an eco-friendly mountain resort called Desert Rock.
Images: TRSDC
