Crafting a wonderful experience is both an art and a science, as it involves enticing people and bringing them in, capturing their attention and narrowing their focus away from all of life’s distractions. And this is the key objective of Red Sea Global (RSG), which is dedicated to meticulously curating a program of unforgettable experiences for its guests so that they will want to return for more and tell everyone about it!
With this in mind, RSG has revealed two new brands, WAMA and Galaxea, which are set to deliver incredible guest experiences, prioritizing stringent sustainability standards that set a new benchmark in the hospitality industry. “ When I first visited the site, I was struck by how overwhelmingly beautiful it was, and as part of the RSG family, you also become overwhelmed with the responsibility to protect it,” explains Rosanna Chopra, Executive Director of Destination Development, Red Sea Global.
“Having traveled around I’ve seen some destinations that do incredible things, but they also tend to start to almost sweat their assets. Our asset is this untouched, pristine archipelago, but also unwalked, unchallenged, unclimbed terrestrial terrain, and so very quickly we resolved the best way to protect it was to own and operate entities ourselves, because that’s the way we can scale to protect people and the planet.
“If you bring in third parties and they make a level of investment, they have to get their budget approved by their board, and if they’re not hitting their targets and not generating the type of revenue they promised, the very first thing that gets compromised is volume, which results in excessive use. The aim of having our own operating entities is that we can keep quality high, be able to charge proportionately because the experience is so extraordinary, and in all ways be able to protect our land and sea.”
WAMA and Galaxea will lead exclusive water sports and diving activities for guests at The Red Sea and Amaala
Extraordinary Moments and Beautiful Memories
John Pagano, Group CEO of RSG, recently underlined the important and sometimes overlooked fact that creating experiences is just as important as building hotels, noting that “WAMA and Galaxea will create extraordinary moments and beautiful memories that last a lifetime.”
Equally importantly, these two brands have been fashioned and developed with sustainability at the forefront, in line with RSG’s commitment to delivering a regenerative approach to tourism development and operations. “When we consider people, planet, product and process alongside visitors, community and marine life, we must look to how we protect these best while ensuring our environment can still flourish. By owning and operating water sports and diving activities we can grow in line with the strategy defined by RSG and implemented across all our destinations,” Rosanna says.
“Through the creation of strong brands, we will enjoy dynamic relationships with industry partners, federations, brand partners, activity-specific groups and event IPs. We will continuously look to the latest innovations both in natural power and hydro and electrically powered equipment and hope to become a hub and a home for sport to grow.”
Eventually, it is hoped that both WAMA and Galaxea will become standalone brands operating at destinations all around the world.
In line with this approach, Galaxea is working closely with Saudi Water Sports & Diving Federation, alongside PADI International to ensure that all diving facilities operated by Galaxea lead in regenerative tourism standards and set the blueprint for future diving development around the world.
Driving Accessible Tourism
WAMA, a combination of the word ‘water’ in English and Arabic, is responsible for creating invigorating water sports adventures, from stand-up paddleboarding through the destination’s mangrove forests to sailing the Red Sea’s soft swells.
“At WAMA we’ve got some really cool things lined up, leading the way in the future evolution of such sports as paddleboarding, flyboarding, skimboarding and kitesurfing,” Rosanna says. “And we have a very high procurement standard, so while we want to speak to everyone that moves within that space, in all instances we have a minimum requirement of sustainability that must be applied to manufacturing as well as distribution.”
Both brands are owned by Red Sea Global and are the first subsidiary businesses announced since its mandate expanded last year
Galaxea is named after a bold and vibrant coral prevalent in the Red Sea and will offer diving experiences that let guests explore life below the water, with Rosanna explaining: “Galexea is our diving brand and we have some of the most extraordinary dive sites up and down the Red Sea – even if you just snorkel and poke your head beneath the water, it’s sensational, and some of our outer reefs haven’t been dived at all. But in order for us to protect it, we have decided to own and operate the brand.
“The technology in diving and the equipment that is available now wasn’t necessarily on the market several years ago, and it allows divers to stay underwater for longer and reach new depths. This is why we wanted to lead the way, operating standards that open, intelligently, incredible dive sites.
“We are looking to drive accessible tourism too – it’s an absolute commitment now for RSG to ensure that we have equal equity at our destinations, irrespective of guests’ ability or disability. That is why three of the team members we have hired at Galaxea are qualified for those who have children who have ADHD and autism, as well as other people who have physical disabilities because the water not only provides buoyancy but is proven scientifically to hold a child’s attention, maintain their focus and give them a positive experience. Water is a great leveler.”
The Ocean Race has provided the ultimate test for sailing teams since 1973
Real Adventures
Last year, an eleven-month-long research study of the Al Wajh lagoon revealed an exceptionally rich diversity of habitats, flora, and fauna. These include a significant number of endangered and critically endangered species such as the Halavi Guitarfish, Hawksbill Sea Turtle and Sooty Falcon, as well as a thriving, eight-meter-high single coral colony estimated to be around 600 years old.
It is hoped that future divers will also be able to explore an 18th-century ‘merchantman’ shipwreck that is currently the most intact and best-preserved wooden shipwreck in the Red Sea. But that’s just the beginning, with Rosanna saying: “The shipwreck is more towards Amaala, but in the Red Sea, people will be diving and finding pottery, say, from the Byzantine era, so we’re putting together heritage dives. I also remember saying very early on, I don’t want to over-curate our programs or excursions because of how wonderful it will be if guests are allowed to come and discover with us, and in doing so become more connected, feel more a part of everything we’re doing. If you just turn up and say I want to go diving, it feels a bit pedestrian, but we want to allow guests to come on a real adventure with us, to discover things that have been perhaps hidden for centuries.”
Delivering Unique Experiences
RSG has been hiring for roles across WAMA and Galaxea and expects to employ more than 250 people by 2026. This includes Sailing and Water Sports Instructors, Divemasters, Technicians and Dive Boat Captains, plus roles for those entering the industry for the first time who wish to discover a new career at the highest level of service and standard. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to live at Turtle Bay, the brand-new sustainable community RSG created for employees and their families.
“We had around 4,500 applicants in just two weeks from all over the world. These were professional water sports enthusiasts who wanted to be part of what is an extraordinary opportunity to deliver unique experiences to the guests of some of the leading hotel brands in the world,” Rosanna says. “If you speak to some of the hotel operators, for them this is going to be the absolute jewel in their portfolio, so there’s an expectation on our quality of execution, but huge excitement amongst the team that they are going to have this quality of guest. So when we started looking at developing programs, whether they are cadet weeks or international parasailing competitions or yacht clubs, we realized it was a really wide level of experience and expertise we were looking for … and it hasn’t been a hard sell.”
Sensitivity and Intelligence
RSG recently revealed an exciting partnership with The Ocean Race, born of a shared commitment to ocean health and a vision to drive the regeneration of life above and below water. The Ocean Race has provided the ultimate test for sailing teams since 1973. Known as ‘sailing’s greatest round-the-world challenge’, it is widely recognized as the pinnacle of achievement for sailors across the world and has created legends of the sport throughout the years.
The partnership is intended to not only drive benefits for the natural environment but to help inspire the next generation of Saudi sailors, promoting a new sport to a Kingdom that has enjoyed a crucial and historic relationship with the sea for over 4,000 years.
Of course, when it comes to pristine environments such as that along the Red Sea coast, sustainability is a moving target, but RSG’s enlightened philosophy means that it is all in good hands, with Rosanna concluding: “We’ve done everything we can to be sensitive and intelligent as a developer and we need to mirror that sensitivity and intelligence as an operator.”
When can you take your first dive? As early as this May – it’s time to experience the Red Sea, not just visit it!
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