Red Sea Global, the developer behind The Red Sea and AMAALA, has announced that The Red Sea is the world’s first destination to achieve destination-wide verification from Forbes Travel Guide.
RSG collaborated with
FTG to define service standards across five key touchpoints: booking, land,
marine and air transfers, and experiences.
Mystery shopping
audits assessed staff performance and service delivery, leading to the
designation of The Red Sea as a Verified Destination.
The initiative
established 182 service standards across eight categories—personalized service,
courtesy, efficiency, cleanliness, luxury, comfort, technical skill, and staff
appearance—and embedded them into daily operations through training,
recognition, and auditing.
This comprehensive
approach ensures excellence is felt not just in resorts but across the entire
destination, setting a global benchmark for hospitality at scale.
Additionally, three
resorts—Six Senses Southern Dunes, St. Regis Red Sea Resort, and Nujuma, a
Ritz-Carlton Reserve—received inaugural Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards.
Since welcoming its
first guests in 2023, The Red Sea now has nine open hotels plus Thuwal Private
Retreat.
Red Sea International
Airport connects the destination with domestic and international flights from
Riyadh, Jeddah, Dubai, Doha, and Milan, further enhancing accessibility.
John Pagano,
Group CEO, Red Sea Global, said: “At Red Sea Global, we have always believed
that luxury is not defined by a single place, but by how a guest feels
throughout their entire journey. Achieving Forbes Travel Guide verification at
a destination scale is a powerful validation of the service culture we have
built across teams, operators, and every touchpoint our guests encounter. This
is not a hotel standard. This is a destination standard, and we are proud for
The Red Sea to be the first in the world to achieve it.”
Hermann Elger, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide,
said: “Congratulations to Red Sea Global and The Red Sea team on achieving the
world’s first Forbes Travel Guide Verified Destination accolade – an
extraordinary milestone for hospitality. Delivering and sustaining service
excellence throughout a destination requires unwavering commitment at every
touchpoint – from booking to the final farewell. The Red Sea has set a new
benchmark for destinations globally.” -TradeArabia News Service