Cruise Saudi taps growth potential in Middle East cruising during STC Global 

Cruise Saudi participated in Seatrade Cruise Global this year, focusing on the rapid growth of the maritime tourism sector in the Kingdom.

This was the third year in a row that Cruise Saudi participated in the exhibition, the most important in the global maritime tourism industry, held in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, the global hub of the sector.

Cruise Saudi is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s largest sovereign wealth fund, and has been charged with developing the cruise sector in Saudi Arabia.

Cruise Saudi has led the development of the infrastructure of ports and tourist destinations on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. It seeks to achieve rapid growth in this vital and promising sector, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan.

Saudi Arabia sees the cruise sector as an engine for the development of the nascent tourism sector in the Kingdom. The country only recently opened up to international tourism, and has held just a few cruise seasons.

Despite that, the country has experienced rampant demand from both the domestic and international market. During the most recent cruise season, with MSC Cruises sailing roundtrip from Jeddah, more than 50% of the passengers were from the home market.

To enhance Cruise Saudi’s presence at Seatrade Cruise Global, Managing Director Fawaz Farooqi joined a panel discussing whether hotel-managed cruise companies will change the luxury cruise industry.

The panel is pertinent to Saudi Arabia as the country has become a destination for super-luxury cruises aboard superyacht cruising yachts, while Cruise Saudi has also announced a partnership with Aman Hotels and Resorts to have a superyacht cruise ship built for the Saudi Arabian market.

“Seatrade Cruise Global is one of the world’s leading maritime tourism events. It provides us with a strong opportunity to connect with our counterparts in this field, and is a strategic platform for sharing news and developments about Cruise Saudi,” said Lars Clasen, CEO of Cruise Saudi.

“We have seen exceptional growth over the past three years, and we are delighted to be able to showcase the progress made in one of the most promising tourism sectors in Saudi Arabia,” he added.