TBM Staff - Mumbai
Red Sea Global (RSG), the visionary force behind the regenerative tourism havens of The Red Sea and AMAALA, has announced its readiness to embrace the first international flight to Red Sea International Airport (RSI).
Operated by flydubai, the inaugural flight from Dubai International (DXB) is scheduled for Thursday, April 18, marking the commencement of a new twice-weekly route to The Red Sea destination. Since September 2023, RSI has been serving domestic flights operated by Saudia. With the addition of flydubai, the airport will now see eight flights per week.
“Situated within a three-hour flight radius of 250 million individuals, RSI is poised to host one million guests annually at full capacity. Our inaugural flight merely six months ago marked the beginning of our journey toward this objective, and the advent of our first international flight represents another significant stride toward establishing Saudi Arabia as a premier global tourism destination. We eagerly anticipate opening our doors to visitors from the UAE, the broader Middle East, and beyond,” remarked John Pagano, Group CEO at Red Sea Global.
Pagano further emphasised, “RSI also plays a crucial role in facilitating connectivity for our employees, partners, and the wider local community.”
Designed to streamline access for guests travelling to The Red Sea, RSI is currently home to two luxury resorts: Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea, and St. Regis Red Sea Resort, which recently hosted renowned footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and his family.
The destination is set to witness the unveiling of three additional resorts this year, including Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve – one of only seven worldwide – slated to open in the coming weeks. Following suit are Shebara, featuring remarkable overwater stainless steel villas, and Desert Rock, a stunning resort nestled amidst mountains.
Michael White, CCO, Red Sea International Airport, expressed, “The arrival of international travelers marks an exciting progression in RSI’s evolution, following the successful commencement of domestic flights last September. We are dedicated to providing exceptional services to passengers and airlines alike, and we eagerly anticipate further expanding our network to cater to The Red Sea and travelers worldwide.”
RSI is on track to become the first carbon-neutral airport in the Middle East, with a series of innovative sustainability measures being implemented across all operations.
Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Subcontinent, and Africa) at flydubai, highlighted, “flydubai proudly becomes the first carrier to operate to Red Sea International from the UAE, offering passengers direct access to Saudi Arabia’s resorts at The Red Sea destination. This underscores our commitment to opening up underserved markets and further connecting the regions we operate to via Dubai’s aviation hub.”
Upon full completion by 2030, The Red Sea will feature 50 resorts offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and over 1,000 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites. The destination will also boast luxury marinas, golf courses, entertainment venues, F&B outlets, and leisure facilities.
Powered off-grid, The Red Sea destination relies on five solar farms containing 760,000 panels, along with one of the world’s largest battery storage facilities, which is already operational.
