Riyadh: The Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA) and Aseer Development Authority (ASDA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance coastal tourism investment, develop human capital, and protect the marine environment.

SRSA was represented by its CEO, Mohammed Al-Nasser, and ASDA by its acting CEO, Eng. Hisham Al-Dabbagh.

This partnership reflects SRSA’s mandate to promote and support investment in coastal tourism, ensure environmental sustainability, regulate and enhance navigational and marine tourism activities, and build national expertise within the coastal tourism sector.

ASDA aims to leverage this collaboration to position the Aseer region as a year-round global destination, aligning with the region's development strategy. The authority also underscores the importance of fostering partnerships as a cornerstone for achieving the objectives of the Qimam and Shem Strategy.

The MoU outlines key initiatives, including attracting tourism investments, enhancing support for projects along the Red Sea coast in Aseer, and strengthening human capital development in the coastal tourism sector. It also focuses on improving navigational and marine activity sites, streamlining licensing procedures, and showcasing the region's rich cultural, natural, and architectural heritage.

Further provisions include the establishment of mechanisms to protect the marine environment, enhance tourist attractions, and coordinate joint marketing efforts and event hosting. The agreement also emphasizes aligning efforts to upgrade port and marina infrastructure, enabling community participation, and activating a unified operations center to address the needs of tourists and investors. Spatial planning for coastal and marine areas along the Aseer Red Sea coast is also a key focus.

This MoU reflects SRSA’s commitment to fostering strategic partnerships, sharing expertise, and embracing global best practices in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030's goals to develop a vibrant and sustainable coastal tourism sector, particularly given Aseer’s 125 km stretch of the Red Sea coastline.