Saudi Red Sea Authority Issues First Four Codes to Enhance Coastal Tourism Infrastructure

The Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA) has issued the first four industry-specific codes in the Kingdom with global specifications aimed at elevating the quality of infrastructure for coastal tourism, titled under: the Marina Planning and Design Code, the Cruise Terminal Planning and Design Code, the Marina Operations Code, and the Cruise Terminal Operations Code, in collaboration with the relevant entities.

The codes issued by SRSA were designed to enhance the infrastructure quality of the coastal tourism sector and unify technical standards and requirements for marinas and cruise terminals, reinforcing SRSA's commitment to fostering a sustainable and regenerative coastal tourism industry, and regulating navigational and marine tourism activities, which contribute significantly to the broader goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

The issuance of the codes aligns with SRSA’s mandates, which include establishing guidelines, rules, and standards for providing services for navigational and marine tourism activities, as well as marinas. This includes their development, management, operation, and supervision in coordination with relevant entities, using the best international practices to position the Red Sea as a leading global tourism destination.

The two planning and design codes for cruise terminals and marinas define specific technical standards and requirements that are designated to accommodate yachts, maritime tourism watercrafts and cruise ships within the geographic scope. These codes ensure the quality of infrastructure and target developers, planners, designers, engineers, and technicians in related industries.

Furthermore, the operation codes for marinas and cruise terminals outline specific requirements and standards for managing and operating coastal tourism facilities. These codes serve as a standardized reference document detailing the minimum requirements for the management and operations of these facilities.

It is noteworthy that SRSA has previously issued (8) regulations governing coastal tourism activities, the first of their kind in the Kingdom, in addition to issuing these codes that ensure effective management and operation of coastal tourism facilities, improve public safety, and ensure the preservation and sustainability of the marine environment, thereby advancing and developing the coastal tourism sector in the Kingdom.