Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Development Company, whose mission is to develop and create a massive new tourism project on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, said it had awarded infrastructure contracts for an international airport that is due to open in 2022, Reuters reports.
The company said the contracts were awarded to Nesma & Partners Contracting Co. Ltd and Almabani General Contractors.
The area planned for development includes 90 islands off the Kingdom’s Red Sea coast.
The Red Sea tourism project, announced in 2017, seeks to create what planners call “a luxury destination created around one of the world’s hidden natural treasures” offering visitors the chance “to explore the wonders and rich cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Coast.”
The Kingdom plans to develop resorts on 50 islands off the largely untouched coastline, offering a nature reserve, coral reef diving and heritage sites. The Red Sea Project will “set new standards in sustainable development and exceed expectations to create a unique travel experience and unforgettable memories,” planners say.
In particular, the Red Sea Project will mitigate carbon dioxide emissions, waste production, and light and noise pollution, maintaining the destination “at a level equivalent to a Marine Protected Area.”
According to Reuters, the Red Sea Development Co is one of three major tourism projects backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). It aims to attract 300,000 tourists a year after the completion of the first phase by 2022, and 800,000 to 1 million once the development is complete.
