In the age of algorithms and Google Maps there are still places capable of surprising us. This is the case with Saudi Arabia, currently undergoing a transformation that is redefining its identity and global tourism and boating routes. When Vision 2030 was announced in 2016, the message was unequivocal: break free from dependence on oil and gas, opening up new economic and cultural trajectories. Tourism became a strategic lever to open up the country and enhance locations that had remained invisible to the world for decades.
The Saudi territory is a continent: monumental deserts, mountains reaching almost 3,000 meters, an endless coastline overlooking the Red Sea, and one of the richest coral reefs on the planet. Here, the sea is not a backdrop: it is the absolute protagonist. Its transparent waters, pristine bays, and the fourth largest reef in the world have transformed this area into one of the world’s new nautical laboratories. The real revolution, however, lies in the development model. In The Red Sea destination designed by developer Red Sea Global, for example, of the 90 potentially usable islands, only 22 are touched by humans; the others remain intact. No island has been redesigned: it is the architecture that bends to nature, not the other way around.
The first phase inaugurated five resorts, one in the mountains, one in the desert, and three on the islands, and today the heart of the project, Shura Island, has opened its first three resorts. Eleven structures, a golf course—the first on an island in Saudi Arabia—a marina, a diving center, and an ecosystem designed to welcome new international nautical tourism. For Saudi Arabia, this means one thing: becoming a new center of gravity for global yachting. The country, historically linked to the port of Jeddah for pilgrimages and trade, had never had a stage dedicated to recreational boating. Today, everything has changed: Formula 1, new-generation resorts, and advanced infrastructure have brought the first international superyachts to the Red Sea.
AMAALA, with its Yacht Club, will be one of the key hubs, capable of accommodating yachts of any size. Nearby Lahak Island introduces a residential model with villas equipped with private marinas, while all resorts have docks to accommodate boats in transit. Red Sea Global is building a veritable nautical corridor, with marinas at AMAALA and The Red Sea: three stops along a route waiting to be explored. But exclusivity here is not marketing: it is culture. No drones, no paparazzi, everything has been designed to ensure total privacy. It is the luxury of distance, of time, of silence. And accessibility is not lacking: thanks to the new Red Sea International Airport, now connected with Qatar Airways and beOnd, you can get there from Milan in just a few hours, for example. Saudi Arabia’s growth also depends on another factor: sport.
A strategic lever that is rewriting the international perception of the country. This is demonstrated by tennis, with the prestigious Six Kings Slam, and soccer, which has found a new global icon in Cristiano Ronaldo. These events are part of a broader strategy that uses sport as a narrative and attractive platform. In this scenario, sailing is set to play a leading role. The Red Sea and AMAALA will host regattas, programs dedicated to shipowners, and events for the new yacht clubs. Confirmation comes from the news that marks a turning point: AMAALA will host the final stage of the 2027 Ocean Race.
“For those who know the Mediterranean routes by heart,” explains Reema Almokhtar, Senior Director – Tourism Communications at Red Sea Global, “the Saudi Red Sea is another planet. It is a new, unspoiled sea with a different culture, new flavors, and a territory waiting to be discovered. It is pure adventure.“ In terms of programming, the events calendar will follow a seasonal logic: yacht season, golf season, lifestyle events. ”A modular structure,“ continues Almokhtar, ”that will allow these destinations to have their own rhythm and identity, becoming a living, recognizable, international ecosystem.” Underpinning the entire project is a non-negotiable pillar: sustainability.
The Red Sea and AMAALA are powered 100% by renewable energy, develop only 1% of the concession area, limit visitor numbers to avoid overtourism, and regenerate ecosystems with coral nurseries, seagrass, mangroves, and native species. It is a shift from “building responsibly” to regenerative tourism: not just avoiding damage to the environment, but improving it. In a world where everything seems to have already been mapped out, The Red Sea and AMAALA are the exception: places that give back the rarest and most precious sensation of all. That of true discovery.
Matteo Zaccagnino
