Developing the world's most ambitious regenerative tourism project.
Located 500km north of Jeddah on the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast, The Red Sea Project is one of a number of transformational projects under the Public Investment Fund (PIF). This groundbreaking destination is expected to create 70,000 new jobs and attract a million visitors a year, while building and working with nature to set new standards for sustainable development.
Key information
- Location:
- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Date started:
- 2018
- Completion date:
- 2030
- Client type:
- Real estate
- Main services:
- Advisory, cost and commercial management, procurement, programme strategy and set-up
Joining culture and nature
The development site comprises 90 pristine islands, of which 22 will be developed, plus 28,000 sq km of beaches, deserts, mountains and volcanic areas, and coastal communities, offering rare opportunities to enjoy culture and the natural world, which will be coupled with the highest-quality personalised accommodation and service.
This major project not only requires the construction of new hotels, beach fronts and recreational sites, but also necessitates the full installation of all major infrastructure works and utilities, with the added challenge of the size and remote nature of the location.
The first phase, which will include 16 luxury hotels, an airport and a marina, plans to welcome its first guests in early 2023, with the overall phase one completed by the end of the year.
Ongoing role
We first started working with The Red Sea Development Company in August 2018 where our role was to deliver the budget cost plan based on the masterplan design.
Over the last few years, as well as pre and post cost management services, we are now also providing pre and post contract procurement, contract management and document control services.
Sustainable focus
The company’s ambition is to go beyond sustainability to address the unfolding ecological and climate crisis and undo some of the damage that human intervention has already caused globally.
It has set out to regenerate the environment, and this decision has meant embracing renewables - the development will be the biggest tourism destination in the world powered solely by renewable energy - and making tough decisions about where to build.
Fergus Rossiter, Commercial Executive Director at The Red Sea Development Company, said: “Turner & Townsend has been an important consultant to us since the project’s inception. It has provided invaluable personnel support, seconding its experts to our team to supplement Procurement, Commercial and Document Controllers. On top of this, its support to establish budgets at the outset has been critical to ensuring our ambitious vision is now becoming a reality.”
John Pagano, Group CEO at The Red Sea Development Company added:
"We are showing the rest of the world that if you overdevelop, you potentially shoot yourself in the foot. We’re limiting our development so that we can protect and enhance, and hopefully others will follow our lead for regenerative development."
