Red Sea Global joins forces with Global Wellness Institute to highlight wellness sector opportunities in Saudi Arabia

• Partnership shines a light on the Saudi wellness economy and growing opportunity in the sector in alignment with Vision 2030 ambition.

• New report provides a baseline data set and opens the door to regular updates through broader collaboration with various projects and stakeholders in the Kingdom

• RSG led panel at Global Wellness Summit this week brought together industry experts to discuss how to inspire a new era of well-being

Riyadh, 12 Nov 2024: Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind the regenerative tourism destinations, The Red Sea and AMAALA, has worked in partnership with the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), the leading research organization for the global wellness industry, throughout 2024 to raise awareness of the transformative potential of the wellness economy in Saudi Arabia.

During the year, RSG participated in three international events, most recently the Global Wellness Summit in St. Andrew’s, Scotland, and supported the development of a Saudi market report, released by GWI last month. Moving into 2025 and beyond, RSG hopes to continue to build on the partnership, promoting the Kingdom’s growing wellness economy and the role it plays in enriching the lives of Saudi citizens, residents, and visitors alike. 

“By partnering with GWI this year, we positioned RSG as a key player and developer of wellness destinations, and outlined the connection between sustainable and even regenerative development that enables the environment to flourish, with the health and wellbeing of people,” said Lindsay Madden Nadeau, Wellness Director at Red Sea Global.

The partnership has served as a springboard for engaging discussions about opportunities within the wellness sector, identifying where data gaps exist, connecting with new and existing partners and stakeholders, and emphasizing the contributions of wellness tourism. 

“We are committed to cultivating a vibrant wellness ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and hope to expand our collaboration with both GWI and other industry stakeholders both within Saudi Arabia and around the world to support sustainable growth of the sector,” she added.

Bringing Visionaries Together 

RSG hosted a panel session at the Global Wellness Summit in St. Andrews, Scotland on 6 November titled “Leadership in Action: Inspiring a New Era of Wellbeing”. The panelists: Vanessa Fuss of VML, Lina Almaeena of Jeddah United, and Michael Acton Smith, the creator of the Calm App, were moderated by Lindsay Madden-Nadeau.

The panelists discussed their transformational work, while also considering the role of wellness in Saudi Arabia in line with the ambitions of Vision 2030. There was a consensus that wellness should be for everyone and while getting back to the basics of eating and sleeping well, movement and connecting with nature are key, technology can still be beneficial as evidenced by the Calm application. The app has been downloaded by over 150 million people around the world, looking for support with mindfulness and improved sleep, and a connection to a like-minded, easily accessible community.

The Potential of Wellness Tourism

As part of its commitment to Vision 2030, RSG envisions wellness tourism as a critical component in attracting international visitors and enhancing their experiences, particularly when connected with the deep-rooted traditions of the region and in line with the concept of regenerative tourism central to the developers approach. It is hoped that the partnership will continue to explore additional avenues for growth, such as spa development and wellness real estate, drawing on the Kingdom’s unique geography and cultural heritage.

RSG is dedicated to forging such partnerships that can help drive wellness sector growth, and aims to collaborate with various stakeholders across Saudi Arabia and from around the world to contribute to improvements of Saudi quality of life and stimulate the wellness economy.

One such partnership is with leading longevity clinic and wellness brand, Clinique La Prairie, who will operate the 36,115 sqm Clinique La Prairie Health Resort within Triple Bay, Amaala, located on Saudi Arabia’s north-western coastline. The exclusive resort – the first of its kind outside of Europe – boasts 66 ultra-luxury suites and 13 Branded Residencies, including 8 entourage suites for privacy. The resort’s subtle beauty – a product of Islamic architecture and modern craftmanship – will deliver a serene place in which to reset, reflect and rest.

While AMAALA remains on track to welcome first guests next year, The Red Sea destination already opened its doors in late 2023 and now has four resorts open. RSI, which is situated within three hours’ flying time of 250 million people and eight hours’ flying time for 8% of the world’s population, has been receiving a regular schedule of domestic flights since September 2023. International flights began in April 2024, with a twice-weekly route between The Red Sea and Dubai International.