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originally appeared in the February issue of AGENTatHOME magazine. Subscribe
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Saudi
Arabia’s Red Sea region has been making headlines for a few years now, but
2026 is when travel advisors will really start seeing it pop up on client wish
lists — and Shura Island is the destination leading that charge. As the beating
heart of The Red Sea’s series of mega-projects, Shura blends eye-catching
luxury with serious sustainability credentials, all wrapped in a
traveler-friendly package that’s easy to pitch to high-end clients looking for
something genuinely new.
Central to the
Vision 2030 Plan
Shura Island is
part of the Red Sea Global development company’s massive portfolio — a group of
regenerative, low impact destinations designed to show the world what
sustainable luxury can look like. Think solar power, 100% renewable energy,
lightweight construction, minimal disturbance to coral reefs and a master plan
that develops less than 1% of the total site. Even Shura’s architecture,
created by Foster + Partners under the “Coral Bloom” concept, is designed to
look and feel like it belongs naturally on the island.
A Lineup of
Luxury Brands
Shura officially
began welcoming guests in late 2025 with three major hotel debuts: SLS The Red
Sea, InterContinental The Red Sea and The Red Sea Edition.
But the big wave
of openings is coming in 2026, when eight more heavy-hitting brands will join
the island: Four Seasons, Fairmont, Jumeirah, Rosewood, Grand Hyatt, Miraval,
Raffles and Faena. In total, Shura will offer 11 luxury resorts with more than
2,000 keys, which makes it easy to match different properties with various
client types, whether honeymooners, families, wellness travelers, golfers and
luxury beach-seekers.
The island will
also feature 305 private residences, including Four Seasons and SLS-branded
villas — a major opportunity for long-stay guests and high-net-worth clients
who prefer residential-style travel.
Saudi Arabia’s
First Island Golf Course
Golfers will want
to hear about Shura Links, which opened with the first wave of resorts. This
championship 18-hole course, designed by Brian Curley, sits right on the water
and is engineered for sustainability — only 20% maintained turf, recycled
wastewater irrigation and a LEED Platinum-certified clubhouse.
Easy Access and
Ample Curiosity
With Red Sea
International Airport already welcoming regular domestic and international
flights and expanded airlift planned for 2026, getting clients to Shura is
becoming even simpler. Once on-site, the experience begins with a scenic
arrival: a marina transfer or a drive over Shura Crossing — a roughly 2-mile
stretch that links the mainland to the island, including Saudi Arabia’s longest
internal bridge spanning ¾ of a mile.
For travel
advisors, Shura Island strikes a rare balance: It’s luxurious, sustainable,
brand recognizable and still new enough to spark major curiosity. For clients
who want to be ahead of the curve — and experience one of the world’s most
ambitious tourism projects — this is a destination worth pushing to the top of
your 2026 list.
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