Red Sea Turtle Bay Hotel named Saudi Arabia’s first Green Key-certified property

Project leader says accolade 'lives up to expectations we set ourselves for sustainable growth'

Red Sea's Turtle Bay Hotel opened in 2021. Photo: Red Sea Global

The first hotel to open at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea destination has been granted Green Key certification as a result of its environmental efforts.

Turtle Bay Hotel received the prestigious award after being independently assessed by Green Key Global, which champions conservation and eco-friendly projects.

The accolade recognises hotels for excellence in sustainable tourism.

Green Key Global assesses properties for their commitment to sustainability across 77 criteria in 13 different categories.

Turtle Bay Hotel is the first Saudi Arabian hospitality entity to achieve the environmental award.

The eco-friendly hotel has no single-use plastics and a zero-waste-to-landfill plan. It also minimises water consumption and prioritises recycling and reuse of materials.

All seafood served at the hotel is locally sourced or responsibly farmed, and the hotel works with local suppliers and Fairtrade businesses that can guarantee high standards for the protection of workers and the environment. Housekeeping products in use by cleaning staff are locally produced, and 100 per cent eco-friendly.

“As we shape the blueprints for regenerative, responsible tourism, we continue to root our efforts in transparency and accountability," said John Pagano, group chief executive of Red Sea Global, the company behind both The Red Sea and Amaala developments in Saudi Arabia. "The Green Key certification demonstrates we are being true to our word and living up to the expectations we set ourselves for sustainable growth. Such critical evaluations are key to holding us to account, while galvanising the sector towards a collective journey into a new era of regeneration.”

Located in The Red Sea Project’s Coastal Village, the 144-room property opened in 2021 and has been used as a base for staff, employees and contractors working on creating the regenerative tourism destination. It has a staff of 90, of which 50 per cent are Saudi nationals and 30 per cent are women.

The Red Sea destination will open to international travellers later this year with the launch of Six Senses Southern Dunes, Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve and the St Regis Red Sea Resort.

The first phase of the Red Sea International Airport will also open this year and will be the region's first carbon-neutral airport.

The Red Sea was named one of the greatest places to travel to by Time magazine this year. The coastal region was praised for its “spectacular natural — and largely untouched — scenery”.

Next year, 13 more hotels will open as part of the archipelago and when completed, it will be home to 50 resorts with 8,000 hotel rooms across 22 islands and six inland sites.