Saudi Arabia has revealed an enormous new tourism project spanning more than 160 km of its Red Sea coastline as part of continued efforts to boost the economy and international standing of the Middle Eastern Kingdom, the tourism project is part of a plan, known as Vision 2030, spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman AlSaud.
The 34,000 square kilo meter project will see 50 untouched islands transformed into "an exquisite luxury tourism destination", governed by laws reflecting international standards, according to reports released by the Saudi Press Agency last Tuesday.
The mammoth development, which exceeds the size of Belgium, is being backed by the country's sovereign wealth fund and is set to create up to 35,000 jobs and add up to $4 billion to the economy each year once completed.
Situated between the cities of Umluj and Al Wajh, 'The Red Sea' aims to capitalize on the region's natural and cultural merits, as well as developing world class leisure and entertainment facilities, to become a destination of choice for as many as 1 million visitors per year in less than two decades.
Phase one is set to start in autumn 2019 and complete in late 2022. This will involve the development of hotels, residential units, an airport and seaport, and other transportation links.
The launch comes as part of Saudi Arabia's wider 'Vision 2030' plans, which aim to reduce the Kingdom's dependency on its natural oil reserves, and diversification of income sources.
Madain Saleh
Visitors will also be able to take trips to the ancient ruins of Madain Saleh, classified as a Unesco World Heritage site, and take part in activities such as parachuting, trekking and rock climbing.
Launching this project as an international tourist destination comes as a confirmation of the success of the outputs of the Kingdom Vision 2030, pointing out that this project represents great addition to the development and renaissance projects in our country.