Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Red Sea tourism developments are set to expand rapidly in 2026, with developer Red Sea Global planning to double its hotel portfolio to 16 luxury properties.
The expansion will bring several high-profile hospitality brands to the region, including The Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and Six Senses.
Red Sea Global is behind three large-scale regenerative tourism projects on Saudi Arabia’s western coast: The Red Sea, AMAALA and Thuwal. Among them, AMAALA is expected to see the greatest number of openings in the coming year.
One of the first resorts to welcome guests will be Nammos Resort AMAALA, scheduled to open this spring. Many of the new properties are located directly on the coast or built over the sea, offering high-end beachfront experiences in one of the region’s most pristine environments.
Several luxury resorts are already operating across the Red Sea destination. These include The Red Sea EDITION, Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, The St. Regis Red Sea Resort, Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea, SLS The Red Sea and InterContinental The Red Sea Resort.
Two additional resorts operated directly by Red Sea Global – Shebara Resort and Desert Rock Resort – are also currently welcoming guests.
Speaking during the Forbes Travel Guide Summit in Monaco, Turki Alshalawi, Senior Manager of Travel Trade at Red Sea Global, said the company expects the rapid expansion to significantly increase tourism capacity.
According to Alshalawi, the development aims to reach around 3,000 hotel rooms across the destination, supporting an estimated 300,000 visitors in 2026.
Several additional properties scheduled to debut in 2026 will be located within AMAALA, including Clinique La Prairie Health Resort AMAALA, Jayasom Wellness Resort AMAALA, a Rosewood AMAALA, The Ritz-Carlton AMAALA, Six Senses AMAALA, Equinox Resort AMAALA and Four Seasons Resort and Residences AMAALA.
Alshalawi highlighted the region’s unique natural environment as a key attraction for travelers. The Red Sea destination spans more than 90 largely untouched islands, along with dormant volcanoes, dramatic mountain landscapes, coral reefs and vast sand dunes.
With its combination of luxury hospitality brands and untouched coastal landscapes, the Red Sea development is positioning itself as one of the world’s most ambitious new luxury tourism destinations.
