John Pagano travel tips

The master developer of Saudi Arabia’s super-luxury island tourism project, The Red Sea, is working on another giga-project that will house more affordable hotel options and tap into a market — millions of travelers strong. Red Sea Global (RSG) group CEO John Pagano confirmed the development to Skift, adding that it will open before 2030 and introduce thousands more hotel rooms to the kingdom’s burgeoning tourism sector.

The recently opened Red Sea International airport (RSI) in Saudi Arabia will welcome its first international flight on April 18 from Dubai.

Flydubai has announced twice-weekly flights from Dubai to The Red Sea – the luxury archipelago project Saudi Arabia is building along the coast. The route is due to start on April 18 and marks the first international flight to The Red Sea project.

Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind the regenerative tourism destinations AMAALA and The Red Sea, and leading luxury hospitality and branded residential company Four Seasons announce the development of a new luxury wellness resort and Private Residences at Triple Bay AMAALA.

Saudi Arabia’s tourism minister says the kingdom counted more than 100 million tourists in 2023 – the numbers show growth in visits from international travelers, but that it still has work to do to become a globally competitive destination.

Red Sea Global, the project developer in Saudi Arabia, is building up its hotel business, and it’s backed by a fund with more money than the market values of Hilton, Marriott and Accor combined.

Developers plan for the whole site to run on 100 per cent solar energy and send zero waste to landfill. They’re also capping the amount of visitors at one million a year.

Red Sea Global (RSG) has said it will operate its own luxury hotel brand at The Red Sea destination, Shebara. The hospitality destination is expected to open in summer 2024 and is expected to be the first resort to be owned and operated by RSG at The Red Sea destination. Taking shape at Sheybarah Island in the Al Wajh Lagoon, the resort is home to stainless steel orbs, and is now actively recruiting a world-class operational team ahead of opening.

Saudi Arabian development group Red Sea Global has created its own luxury hotel brand called Shebara. The Shebara brand will be deployed for the upcoming Sheybarah Island resort – seen as the most exclusive of the current 16-property lineup in the archipelago development.

Saudi Arabia announced Thuwal Private Retreat, an ultra-luxurious and likely ultra-secretive private island along its Red Sea coast. Promised as a place of “indulgence” the island opens next year, available for total buy-outs only.

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The Luxury Collection NEOM, located in Saudi Arabia’s Sindalah Island, put out a call for mixologists and bartenders ahead of its opening next year – though the hotel’s operator, Marriott, says the job listings were a mistake and being removed.

Saudia will become the first airline to operate in and out of the Red Sea International airport (RSI). This is after the airline signed an MoU with the Red Sea Global (RSG) and daa International.

The next generation of Saudi Arabian hotels is coming, marked by the opening of the Kingdom’s multi-billion-dollar giga-projects. Marriott is showing what is possible at these spare-no-expense properties: Asking for the highest room rates in the country.

Red Sea Global, a company fully owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is exploring the possibility of a public market offering, with plans to launch as early as 2026.

Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind The Red Sea and Amaala in Saudi Arabia, has launched an adventure travel brand for guests aimed at offering unique sporting activities at its destinations.

Saudi Arabia has taken steps in recent years to beef up its tourism industry as part of its Vision 2030 plan, including launching a seasonal campaign named Rethink Summer. The kingdom is also currently home to the largest hotel construction activity in the Middle East.

Red Sea Global and Zain KSA have unveiled the world’s first zero-carbon 5G network, which is powered by 100% renewable energy.