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9 luxury brands are working in The Red Sea to promote sustainable tourism | |
| Staff Writer |
Most countries across the world are earnestly promoting and investing in sustainable travel.
The UN Environment Program and UN World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as, “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.” Jeddah will host the UNWTO on 7 and 8 June.
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Saudi Arabia will be focussing on showcasing
TRSDC plans to open three hotels this year and add 13 more by the end of 2023. The ambitious projects are all set to create 120,000 jobs and add SR30 billion to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product. Brands include St Regis, Six Senses, and more ultra-luxury hotel concepts focusing on sustainability.
The company has achieved an overall score of 91 out of 100 in last year’s environmental, social, and governance assessment by the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark.
In November 2021, the company won the ESG Initiative of the Year award in UK. The Good Governance Toolkit was a hit.
Safeguarding and developing the landscape and shores of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea is essential to attract tourists curious to know more about earth’s hidden natural treasure.
All hotels and sea resorts must comply with the strict environmental rules and conditions set by TRSDC.
“Sustainability will set us apart… The Red Sea concept is all about building and working with nature,” said John Pagano, CEO of TRSDC, in an interview with Arab News. “Coral reef systems are there. For us, the goal is how to deliver what we need without impacting the environment. My visitors will get to truly immerse themselves in nature,” says John Pagano, CEO of TRSDC.
The EMS was rolled out companywide by midyear 2021, supporting the company’s bid for The Red Sea Project to achieve ISO14001:2015 certification.
“TRSDC’s EMS is aimed at guiding and managing TRSDC’s activities with respect to the environment throughout the design, construction, and operational stages. The implementation of the EMS allows TRSDC to identify areas in need of improvement and actively work toward bettering them,” according to the company.
The company has also partnered with Red Sea Farms, a Saudi Arabian ag-tech business, to develop a sustainable food supply for The Red Sea’s flagship destination using sunlight and saltwater. The company’s endeavor to protect the Kingdom’s ecology was also climaxed by another MoU with Blue Planet Ecosystems in October 2021.
“The Land-based Automated Recirculating Aquaculture system works by replicating natural aquatic ecosystems in a modular and automated system. LARA converts carbon dioxide directly into chemical-free seafood using phyto and zooplankton as transitional stages. It is constructed of a tower of three horizontal units. The top unit uses the sun’s energy to grow microalgae which powers the entire system. The microalgae are then moved to the next unit, where it nourishes zooplankton. The zooplankton is then transported to the bottom unit, where it’s eaten by fish,” TRSDC explained.
The inclusion of these sustainable projects, tie- up and partnerships are the harbinger of a new green hope for sustainable tourism and development.