Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea destination has reached another milestone in its expansion with the arrival of its first guests at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Red Sea at Shura Island, marking not only the debut of one of the world’s most recognised luxury hospitality brands at the destination, but also a significant shift in Red Sea Global’s development strategy.
Opening to guests from 20 May, the property is the first resort within Red Sea Global’s portfolio developed through a joint venture structure, signalling an increasing role for institutional capital and private-sector partnerships as Saudi Arabia’s tourism ambitions continue to scale.
The project was developed through a 50-50 partnership between Red Sea Global (RSG) and Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) and represents an investment of SAR 2.6 billion, supported by SAR 2 billion (US$522 million) in debt financing from Riyad Bank.
For the destination itself, the opening adds further momentum to a period of rapid growth. The launch follows occupancy levels reaching 82% during the final 10 days of Ramadan, with demand expected to rise further during the Eid Al-Adha holiday period.
John Pagano, Group CEO of Red Sea Global, said the opening reflected both growing visitor demand and increasing confidence from investors. “With Four Seasons preparing to welcome guests, we are significantly scaling the capacity and offering of The Red Sea destination in time for one of the busiest travel periods in our calendar.”
He added: “Launching reservations for the first joint venture-developed resort in our portfolio is also an important commercial milestone for RSG, demonstrating the value of strategic partnerships, the strength of our investment proposition and reflecting growing market confidence in Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector.”
The opening may also offer another indication of how The Red Sea is evolving beyond a traditional destination-development model toward a broader investment platform designed to attract long-term institutional participation.
Sarmad Zok, CEO of Kingdom Hotel Investments, a subsidiary of Kingdom Holding Company, said the project aligned with wider economic transformation goals under Saudi Vision 2030. “This landmark development demonstrates the strength of the destination proposition and the growing international appeal of Saudi Arabia’s luxury tourism market.”
Located at the more secluded eastern end of Shura Island, the resort has been designed around a family-oriented luxury offering, surrounded by waters on three sides and incorporating 149 guest accommodations and 31 resort residences designed to maximise indoor-outdoor living.
The property also broadens the destination’s culinary and leisure options, with concepts ranging from plant-focused dining at Sea Green, Levantine cuisine at Al Forn, and Italian offerings at Spiaggia Restaurant and Pool, alongside water sports activities and dedicated children’s and teenagers’ programmes.
Like the wider destination, the resort operates according to Red Sea Global’s regenerative tourism principles, powered entirely through renewable energy and supported by integrated waste and water systems intended to reduce environmental impact and support conservation objectives.
The opening comes as Red Sea Global expands both accommodation inventory and air access. To accommodate increased travel demand during the upcoming holiday period, 32 additional flights are being added to Red Sea International Airport.
The Red Sea currently has 11 hotels operating, with six additional resorts due to open on Shura Island in the coming months, further accelerating the transformation of one of Saudi Arabia’s flagship tourism developments.
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