The Saudi Red Sea Authority has launched the Introductory Guide to Coastal Tourism Activities, a first of its kind digital gateway designed to bring clarity, consistency, and accessibility to coastal tourism regulation and practice.
At its core, the guide addresses a challenge familiar to boating nations worldwide: information fragmentation. Regulations, safety requirements, environmental protections, and entry procedures often sit across multiple agencies, platforms, and documents. SRSA’s response has been to consolidate that material into a single, authoritative digital reference that is practical to use and easy to navigate.
The online guide provides tourists, investors, and industry practitioners with one centralised access point for up to date requirements, conditions, and procedures. Smart digital links redirect users directly to the responsible authorities, shortening processing timelines and reducing uncertainty for visiting and local operators alike. SRSA describes the guide as a foundational enabler for coastal tourism growth, developed through coordinated work across government to support investment, safety, and environmental protection in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
The first release focuses on yachting activities, mapping a yacht’s journey from arrival through to departure. It outlines documentation, licensing and permit requirements, port and marina entry procedures via licensed maritime tourism agents, and directories of approved service providers. These include marinas offering berthage, maintenance, and repair services, alongside charter operators and maritime agents. Safety and environmental sustainability guidance is embedded throughout, supported by a comprehensive FAQ section and clear explanations of permitted and prohibited activities.
What distinguishes the guide is its emphasis on clarity before enforcement. Rather than simply listing rules, it explains where they apply and how they interact. For skippers, that certainty improves safety, protects sensitive marine areas, and reduces inadvertent non compliance.
From a New Zealand perspective, the model is instructive. A comparable platform could bring together anchoring restrictions, fishing rules, marine reserve boundaries, rāhui, biosecurity obligations, safety equipment requirements, and regional boating notices into one trusted source. Linked directly to Maritime New Zealand, the Department of Conservation, regional councils, Coastguard resources, Customs New Zealand, the Ministry for Primary Industries, and marina operators providing haul out and maintenance services, it would offer both visiting yachts and local boaties a clear planning tool before leaving the dock.
The guide is now the official reference point for coastal tourism activities in the Red Sea and is available at:
https://redsea.gov.sa/single-point-of-truth/pages/yacht-en.html
