Thuwal Private Retreat: Saudi's Own Super-Secret Island In The Making

I have been watching a pride of nine lions slowly waking up from their siesta. The adolescent siblings playfully nudge one another. One stretches against a log, reminding me of my dog back home, almost prompting me to hop out of the open-sided Land Rover and get closer. But then I catch a glimpse of a paw the size of my head, with claws so sharp they could slice through mosquito netting with no effort at all, and I’m reminded that this is Botswana’s Moremi Game Reserve, home to a rich array of wildlife like bush elephants, leopards, plains zebra, giraffe—and I am just a guest here.

Safari travel company Go2Africa has just released the world’s most expensive safari that will cost a family of four over $690k, visiting six countries over 24 days with hot air balloon rides, gorilla trekking, and even a personal film crew to document this journey of a lifetime for you.

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.

Keith Lee, a popular food critic who uses TikTok to share his opinions, may be done touring Atlanta, but his restaurant reviews are still making waves among locals who say he's exposed the frustrating reality of what it's like to dine out in the city. 

Saudi Arabia has laid out its ambition to build a hotel of such magnitude, allure and luxury, that travelers from the world over will come to see it. In Dubai, the emirate has the two Atlantis resorts, between them almost 2,000 rooms. In the US, historic hotels such as The Plaza sit in New York and mega-resorts fill the Las Vegas strip. But in Saudi a set of three boutique hotels will be the “global bucket list” destination of choice.

Saudi Arabia’s super-city of Neom has created its own investment fund. The Neom Investment Fund will largely focus on mergers and acquisitions and venture capital in tech startups, said the organization. The Neom Investment Fund will also work with global organizations through joint ventures to boost its many sectors, including travel and tourism.

When I stay in hotels, I try to make my room feel like home by unpacking my belongings.

The development of new hotels goes directly against the global hospitality industry’s rally for sustainability, says the boss of Accor, Europe’s largest hotel operator. It is, however, a necessary evil of sorts, suggests CEO and president Sebastian Bazin, where the pros of a new hotel in an area often outweigh the cons.

Saudi billionaire and royal family member Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud has snapped up a 50% stake in the upcoming Four Seasons resort in the ultra-luxurious Red Sea project in Saudi Arabia for $266 million, according to a release from Red Sea Global.

The Red Sea Global may not have very ambitious visitor numbers, but it is looking at India as a crucial source market. Speaking about Red Sea Global’s interest in the Indian market, Reema Almokhtar, director – travel trade marketing, tells Skift Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia about how they are looking to deliver value to Indian tourists.

The UAE’s minister of economy has said the country’s tourism advisory board is working on new packages that promote travel in all seven emirates. For years, tourism in the UAE has been centered in Dubai, home to Emirates Airline, the world’s biggest mall and a string of ultra-luxury hotels.