Saudis enjoy Red Sea cruises as kingdom ramps up tourism plans

Saudis enjoy Red Sea cruises as kingdom ramps up tourism plans

JEDDAH--Majed Sait and his wife are spending their honeymoon on a cruise in the turquoise waters off Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, a voyage that is still a novelty in the kingdom which only recently began to allow cruise ships to dock in its ports.

Foreign tourism inside Saudi Arabia was restricted and opportunities for domestic holidaymakers were limited until Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz began a drive in 2016 to bring social change and diversify the economy away from its dependence on oil.

Since then, Saudi Arabia has introduced tourist visas for foreign visitors and launched a series of tourism projects, including along the Red Sea coast and the government has said it wants the sector to contribute ten percent to gross domestic product by 2030.

Jeddah port launched its cruise ship terminal in July.

“This is a three-day trip but it has been very relaxing for us and a completely different experience,” said Sait as he and his wife took in the breeze on the main deck of the MSC Bellissima, a cruise ship which can accommodate 2,500 guests across 19 floors.

Saudi Arabia rented the MSC Bellissima from its Geneva-based operator MSC Cruises as part of its Saudi Summer campaign