Red Sea Authority issues 8 new regulations, conducts 600 compliance visits

The ‘Deeper Than You See’ campaign, launched by the Saudi Red Sea Authority, has spotlighted comprehensive regulatory efforts that precede the tourist experience in coastal areas, transforming principles of safety, quality, and sustainability into tangible regulations, systems, and digital services.

The campaign revealed that the authority has issued eight pioneering regulations in Saudi Arabia to govern marine and nautical tourism activities, along with four technical codes for coastal infrastructure. These were accompanied by the release of requirements, conditions, procedures, and guidance manuals aimed at enhancing the sector’s readiness and clarifying the regulatory framework for operators, investors, and beneficiaries.

To ensure the implementation of these regulations, the authority has carried out more than 600 field compliance and awareness visits to verify adherence to regulatory requirements at activity sites and to strengthen the protection of beneficiaries and the marine environment.

Boosting investment and digital services

To promote investment opportunities, the authority has catalogued over 3,200 tangible and intangible assets and provided technical and administrative support to more than 100 investors. It has also participated in over 100 local and international exhibitions, conferences, and forums to showcase coastal tourism opportunities and attract high-quality investments.

Geographically, the authority has collaborated with the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information and strategic partners to produce detailed maps of the geographic scope for marine and tourism activities. It has also developed the first mechanism to ensure marine environmental protection in cooperation with the environmental system and relevant entities.

Launch of digital platform and unified guide

To streamline services, the authority has launched a limited pilot phase of the ‘Rasa’ digital platform, which unifies licensing and permit services and allows beneficiaries to track their applications. It has also issued the Coastal Tourism Activities Guide, the first comprehensive regulatory reference for activity practitioners, tourists, and investors along the Red Sea coast.

This system embodies the essence of the ‘Deeper Than You See’ campaign, where a set of regulatory measures precedes the tourism experience, ensuring the sector’s quality and sustainability and providing a safe, attractive environment for investors and visitors.