The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) has confirmed that three new hotel management agreements have been signed with international hotel brands to operate resorts in the first phase of development at The Red Sea Project.

These include Ritz Carlton Reserve and Miraval hotels – the first to operate in the Middle East – and Rosewood, a global luxury hospitality company.

“This announcement demonstrates industry confidence in The Red Sea Project, with a total of 12 hospitality brands now confirmed, and signifies a growing appetite from global leaders to participate in the expansion of the Saudi tourism market. With two brands now entering the region for the first time, I believe the future of tourism in the kingdom is bright,” said John Pagano, CEO at TRSDC.

“Together with our collection of globally recognized and respected partners, we are excited to play our part in opening up this unique and undiscovered part of the world, setting new benchmarks for sustainable development along the way,” he added.

Ritz Carlton Reserve is situated at the destination’s Ummahat Islands, while Miraval and Rosewood are located on Shura Island, the main hub for the resort. The new collection of hospitality brands collectively feature nearly 500 hotel keys of the total 3,000 planned for phase one.

The luxury hotel companies join a line up of globally renowned brands that have already confirmed they will operate at The Red Sea Project, including: EDITION Hotels and St Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International; Fairmont Hotel & Resorts, Raffles Hotels & Resorts and SLS Hotels & Residences, part of global hospitality group Accor; Grand Hyatt, part of Hyatt Hotels Corporation; Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts and Six Senses, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts; and Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts.

The Red Sea Project has already passed significant milestones and work is on track to welcome the first guests in less than a year, when the first hotels will open. Phase one, which includes 16 hotels in total, will be completed by the end of 2023.

Upon completion in 2030, The Red Sea Project will comprise 50 resorts, offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and more than 1,000 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites. The destination will also include an international airport, luxury marinas, golf courses, entertainment and leisure facilities.