Maritime tourism is an important and valued aspect of the Kingdom's tourism sector, as the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) confirmed that it paid early attention to the development and investment of marine destinations and islands in the Kingdom, and the Commission had prepared a strategy for the development of the Red Sea axis in its first version, The Authority and its partners have completed a comprehensive survey of 1285 islands, representing about 89% of the total islands of the Kingdom, as these islands have all the elements of tourist attraction, with diverse areas, terrains and environments.
Marine Islands Development and Investment Program
A press release issued by the Authority confirmed that the strategy included a precise program for the development of a number of islands and their tourism investment, as well as the development of beaches, ports and geographical backgrounds in cities adjacent and close to those islands, and the strategy that was later approved by the state proposed to start preparing a number of tourist islands as a nucleus of development to stimulate investment, taking into account the environmental considerations that characterize the islands to the maximum extent possible, so that tourism development is limited to environmentally appropriate sites.
The strategy was approved by the state and later proposed to start preparing a number of islands to be a nucleus for investment.
The statement added that the strategy waited a long time after its approval to provide funding and decisions to start implementing development according to an action plan targeting tourism development for the five regions located on the Red Sea axis, namely Jizan, Asir, Makkah, Medina and Tabuk region, with a focus on improving the competitiveness of a number of leading tourist destinations located in the five Red Sea axis regions, until these efforts resulted in the adoption of this strategy and initiative presented by the Authority and its partners and approved by the state more than five years ago, adopted by (Saudi Vision 2030).
The strategy was adopted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.
Preparing islands for tourism
In the framework of activating the strategy, a committee headed by the Ministry of Interior and including several government agencies was formed to study the optimal utilization of islands for tourism purposes according to specific controls, and the Authority initiated a program to prepare tourism sites and in cooperation with the concerned authorities in the regions to prepare executive plans to prepare a number of marine destinations and tourist islands and implement development nuclei that stimulate investment in those islands (tourist resort at Al Faqwa Beach, floating marina and sessions at Dumsak Island, Al Ghadeer Marina at Farsan Islands, Al Qassar Village rehabilitation at Farsan Islands, Jannah Island in the Eastern Province). Al-Qassar village on Farsan Island has been prepared for tourism, which is a heritage village built of stone and palm trees, about 5 kilometers south of Farsan city, and is considered the largest palm oasis in the Farsan Islands, and among the development projects that the Authority is working on is the development of Faqwa Beach on Farsan Island.
Maritime Tourism Strategy Partners
The Authority's statement explained that the Islands Development Strategy was prepared in partnership with several government entities, including the Ministries of Defense and Aviation, Municipal and Rural Affairs, Interior, Agriculture, Transport, the General Presidency of Meteorology and Environmental Protection, the National Authority for the Protection and Development of Wildlife, and specialized experts, to implement a number of objectives that include developing new tourist destinations, resorts and diving centers along the Red Sea coast, in conjunction with developing land and air transportation services and infrastructure networks, connecting them with heritage attractions in coastal areas and attracting investments with a tangible impact in providing serious job opportunities
The strategy focused on the northern Red Sea island system with its adjacent historic ports and proposed tourist destinations on the sea coast.
The strategy focused on the northern Red Sea island system with its adjacent historic ports and proposed tourist destinations on the sea coast.
