Why regenerative tourism must be the future of our industry

This year’s World Tourism Day provides an opportunity for our industry to not only reflect on our sustainability efforts to date but to consider what we can do better.

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, the tourism industry generates between 8% and 11% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. As the global population increases, so will demand. Given that 2050 is the last year many scientists believe ecological disaster can be prevented, it’s clear that the tourism industry must change its approach – and fast. The right path is clear and can be summed up in two words: regenerative tourism.??

Beyond sustainability

Adopting a regenerative approach to tourism means going beyond protecting the environment and local communities to actively enriching them. At Red Sea Global (RSG), regeneration has underpinned every decision we’ve made when developing The Red Sea and AMAALA, our two flagship destinations.

At the very start of development, we undertook Saudi Arabia’s largest-ever marine spatial planning simulation with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology to determine how to minimize our environmental impact. From this, we set out an ambitious master plan that has, at its core, a commitment to deliver a 30% net conservation benefit by 2040 across our destinations.

To make this possible, we’ve embraced a radically innovative mindset to meet our target, aiming to set new standards in responsible development. Using this approach, we’ve hit some important milestones to enhance local biodiversity.

We opened our first mangrove nursery, which will contribute significantly to our plan to plant 50 million mangrove trees by 2030. We also achieved the first-ever successful transplantation of native doum palm trees to reduce reliance on importing foreign species of plants.

Coral restoration is another area of biodiversity in which we’re pushing boundaries. We’ve developed the largest floating coral nurseries in the world. These are 10m x 10m platforms made with composite wood, an aluminum frame, and high-density polyethylene. They hold coral and encourage its growth along with other organisms, such as urchins, that help their survival.

Partner up

We’ve faced complex challenges implementing regenerative practices, such as navigating a pandemic and managing the combined land of The Red Sea and AMAALA, which comes to more than 32,000 km2. To overcome these hurdles, we work with some of the world’s most innovative minds.

For example, we worked with renowned architecture firm Oppenheim Architecture on the design of Desert Rock. Oppenheim’s team designed the resort to be built into a mountain that will effectively reduce energy consumption, regenerate native flora, and harvest rainwater to create a flourishing wadi, which means ‘river valley’ in Arabic.

From developing an agricultural network with local farmers to managing Red Sea International Airport with daa International, all our partnerships are built with a mutual understanding of prioritizing people and planet.

Enriching people

Regenerative tourism is becoming increasingly popular with guests too. A recent Euromonitor International report found that nearly 80% of travelers will pay at least 10% more for sustainable travel features. Providing experiences that enable guests to regenerate the environment actively gives us a huge competitive edge.

Our state-of-the-art Marine Life Institute is a key example of this, being both a hub for scientific research and a visitor attraction. Guests will be able to participate in scientific expeditions, including going into the field with coral farmers and shark researchers to monitor activity, as well as to help release rehabilitated animals.

We see The Red Sea and AMAALA as drivers of regeneration not just for the environment and local communities but for the Saudi economy more broadly. To this end, Red Sea Global is aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and its goal to transform the nation by diversifying its economy and creating economic opportunities for its people.

Combined, The Red Sea and AMAALA are projected to contribute 33 billion riyals (USD 8.79 billion) annually to the Kingdom’s economy upon completion. Of the 8,694 contracts worth over SAR 46.7 billion awarded so far, 70% of the total value has been awarded to KSA-registered vendors, helping to enrich society by channeling investment into the social and cultural fabric of communities.

RSG is also playing a vital role in the creation, training, and capacity building of the present and next generations of Saudi talent, with 120,000 new jobs to be created directly and indirectly from both projects. We’ve also funded 1,410 young talents for education and vocational training programs, upskilling Saudis to ensure as many have successful careers as possible, all while driving the long-term growth of the Saudi tourism sector.?

People and planet

Embracing regenerative tourism isn’t just good for people and planet, it’s good for business too. Travelers expect destinations to make a positive impact on the environment and those that commit to regeneration will have an immediate competitive edge. Undoubtedly, implementing regenerative practices creates challenges, but they also provide opportunities for destinations to become innovators and collaborate with dynamic partners that share similar values.

Taking the regenerative path has been an endless source of pride for me and everyone at Red Sea Global. As we prepare to welcome our first guests this year, we’ll continue to find new ways to enrich the people and planet around us, while helping to shape the future of tourism by sharing knowledge and deepening collaboration whenever we can.?