Cruise ships will set sail in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea for first time from August 27

Saudi Arabian cruise ships will set sail in the Red Sea for the first time August 27, Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The luxury cruises that will sail along the Red Sea coast are part of the Saudi Tourism Authority’s “Break Free” summer season campaign.

The initiative is part of the Kingdom’s efforts “to provide exceptional leisure tourism services on the Red Sea, providing a wider array of options and raising awareness of the many natural and cultural treasures that lie along the Saudi Red Sea coast,” the STA said in a previous statement.

The new campaign seeks to highlight various tourist attractions along the Red Sea coast, and the high-end ships will have on board various restaurants and entertainment options. A theater, video game area, two swimming pools, a gym, and a souvenir shop are among the entities available to those on the cruise, the Saudi Gazette reported.

A diver underwater in Umluj, Saudi Arabia. (Saudi Ministry of Tourism)

With the coronavirus pandemic ongoing, the Ministry of Health, the tourism authority and tour operators are coordinating efforts to ensure the safety and health of travelers.

The Kingdom’s borders remain shut to tourists as a preventive measure against coronavirus, but a summer vacation campaign was launched in June for citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia offering staycation packages.

Saudi Arabia has begun to attract international tourists following its decision to issue tourist visas in September 2019, and various projects are underway to boost tourism in the Kingdom. Among these is the Red Sea project, a coastal planned megacity that intends to welcome its first visitors by the end of 2022.

Read more:

Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia’s Al Ula to reopen including ancient site Al Hijr

Saudi Arabia welcomes 24,000 tourists in 10 days

Saudi Arabia’s tourism landmark al-Ula signs agreement with hospitality group Accor