SAUDI ARABIA – Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Development Fund (TDF) has revealed plans to build a multi-use resort on Half Moon Beach in the country’s Eastern Region, set to cost SAR 1.4 billion (US$372 million).
The project, covering a 262,000 square meter area, will be managed under the Rixos brand and overseen by global hospitality leader Accor.
Once completed, it will feature 400 hotel units, 41 residential villas, as well as a range of dining, café, and entertainment options, establishing it as the first all-inclusive coastal resort in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
Funded by the Tourism Development Fund (TDF) and backed by foreign investment from FTG International Group, the project supports Saudi Arabia’s national tourism strategy.
It aims to enhance regional living standards, contribute to the Kingdom’s GDP, and bolster the tourism sector in the Eastern Province. This was emphasized by Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Governor of the Eastern Region, during a meeting in Dammam.
The meeting brought together several key stakeholders, including Eastern Region Mayor Eng. Fahad Al Jubeir, Eastern Region Development Authority CEO Eng. Omar bin Saleh Al Abdullatif, Ashraq Development Company CEO Eng. Zaki bin Hassan Al Omran, TDF’s Naif Al Madi, National Water Company (Eastern Sector) Head Eng. Adel Al Ghamdi, and FTG International Group Executive Director Fatih Tamince.
During the meeting, Prince Saud received updates on the major tourism and entertainment project planned for Half Moon Beach. Al Jubeir praised the project’s importance, highlighting the collaborative efforts among stakeholders as crucial for advancing such transformative tourism initiatives.
The Tourism Development Fund (TDF) in Eastern Saudi Arabia is driving growth in the hospitality sector through strategic policy initiatives aimed at enhancing tourism infrastructure and fostering private investment.
TDF has supported over 15 major tourism projects in the region, boosting hotel capacity by 40% in the region in the past two years.
These initiatives focus on improving coastal resort developments and attracting international hotel brands, with the goal of increasing the Eastern Province’s tourism revenue by 25% by 2025, strengthening its position as a key tourism hub.
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