Share the article
Last updated
Now that the world has fully reopened and normality has been restored, paving the way for the return of overtourism, travelers are looking for less crowded, off-the-beaten-path destinations where they can truly relax and enjoy a foreign country without all the distractions .
One of the lesser known destinations in the undiscovered gem that is the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, is keeping a close eye on the fast-growing trend, so much so that it plans to launch a brand new destination to satisfy luxury travelers looking for more exclusivity.
Next year it will be magical Red Seaa tourist hotspot you should go to:
Welcome to the Caribbean in the Middle East
In the biggest news to come out of the Middle East in years, their emerging rival Saudi Arabia has just confirmed a brand new luxury travel destination on the currently underdeveloped Red Sea coast, touted as the Caribbean in the Middle East.
The Red Sea is a closed body of water over which the Arabian kingdom extends.
Famous for its high salt concentration and turquoise blue hue, it has been largely ignored as a tourist destination for years.
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea stretches for more than a thousand miles, from the border with the neighboring Kingdom of Jordan in the north to Yemen in the south, and much of the coast remains untouched.
This is largely due to Saudi Arabia’s late opening to tourism, as the kingdom has only opened its doors to foreign visitors in recent years.
Local authorities are now keen to catch up with their fellow Gulf partners after announcing the opening a new resort zone in the Red Sea region.
What is planned for the coast of the Red Sea?
According to the Red Sea Project filesas much as 22 of the 90 islands in the region will be developed, with the construction of up to 50 luxury accommodations, consisting of 8,000 rooms and a further 1,000 homes by 2030.
This is one of the largest development projects currently seen in the Middle East and should also see the launch of a giant moon-shaped resort in Dubai.
Although the final project will not be completed until 2030 at the earliest, a number of properties are already springing up along the coast and around the 90-island archipelago.
@visitredsea Crystal clear water at the Red Sea.💦 #VisitRedSea والمياه كريستالية.. 🌊 #وجهة_البحر_الأحمر #السعودية ♬ original sound – The Red Sea
As Executive Director Chopra said, ‘regenerative tourism’ is at the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s new tourism offering as the kingdom aims to ‘improve’ local communities and the environment and provide more ‘transformative’ experiences. as opposed to just luxury.
The Ummahat Islands will be the first to house new hotels, namely the St. Regis Red Sea Resort, where tourists can find accommodation in villas on land or floating on the water, which will compete with a Ritz-Carlton for guests.
On Shura IslandSaudi leaders plan to build a 1.2-kilometer bridge connecting it to the region’s main international airport, for the shortest possible travel distance of 30 minutes from the hub to the resort zones.
Shura itself will also feature eleven low-rise resorts designed to resemble ‘washed up coral’.
As development spreads to other islands and coastal strips on the Red Sea mainland, visitors can of course expect its introduction more ultra-modern resortsgolf courses, marinas and dining options.
So far, two inland resorts have been confirmed: Desert Rock and Southern. Dunes.
There is more: Sheybaraha picturesque island a 45-minute ferry ride from the mainland, is expected to be a ‘hyper-luxury’, ultra-exclusive resort with numerous over-water pods – yes, it’s an ongoing theme – that architects have described as ‘bubbles of a diver’.
The ultra-luxury Triple Bay
Elsewhere, in Amaala, a planned luxury tourism mega-project is mentioned Triple baya wellness center is being built in an area of outstanding natural beauty, bordered by mountainous landscapes and a ‘sparkling’ sea, where guests can practice diving, sailing and other water sports.
Triple Bay will join in in 2024 3,000 rooms spread over 25 hotels and the adjacent 900 villas and apartments, all powered by renewable energy and with a carbon-neutral footprint, so it won’t be long before tourists can discover it for themselves.
@happy_shopyng proyek gila arab saudi#viral #fyp #fypシ ♬ suara asli – happy shop
When it comes to overtourism, Saudi Arabia is ensuring that the pristine Red Sea nature reserve does not bear the brunt of these simultaneous development projects by initially imposing a limit of one million visitors per year in the area (500,000 in Amaala).
The Saudi Red Sea is home to the world the fourth largest barrier reefmajestic mountains, inactive volcanoes and ancient historical sites, and the number of visitors ensures that it remains an exclusive luxury travel destination.
Finally, the recently opened Red Sea International Airport, which only became operational in September this year, will accommodate visitors a truly seamless experienceas they are allowed to pass through the security checkpoint and do not have to collect their own luggage.
Instead, it is sent directly to their resort.
Read more about the exciting development project here.
Read more:
Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans for 2023 from $10 per week
How to easily earn points for free travel
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to the latest Travel Off Path breaking travel news, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
