JEDDAH: Makkah Municipality is preparing a study to build an island in the Red Sea, some 27 kilometers off the coast near Shoaiba.
International investment firms are involved in the study, which will be published in the near future, said the assistant secretary for the municipal investments development of Makkah Municipality.
He explained that the island would be converted into a green resort, conserving the marine wildlife, with a scuba diving club for diving enthusiasts. The resort would be located on an area of 1.2 million square meters.
The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) in Makkah has issued special requirements for the classification of tourist resorts. The resort will be priced according to its classification, said Abdullah Al-Sawat, SCTA executive director.
The SCTA encouraged investors in the resorts to provide requirements for licensing. Al-Sawat said the SCTA would impose strict controls on tourist resorts to ensure compliance with the classification criteria and standards.
He indicated at the same time that the SCTA through the public administration for the development of tourist sites hopes to create beaches with tourist attractions that are of interest to the residents of Makkah.
Makkah residents have recently asked the municipality and the SCTA to expedite the investments in Shoaiba Beach by establishing tourist resorts and recreational places.
Many residents said they preferred the beach for its tranquility, privacy and distance from the hustle and bustle.
Others said that the two-way road to Shoaiba Beach is dangerous and further away from Makkah than the Jeddah beach. There are no services and lighting along the road, as well as a shortage in hotels, tourist resorts and fuel stations in the region.
A tourist island in Red Sea? New study looks at the chances
A tourist island in Red Sea? New study looks at the chances
Millie Bobby Brown spotted in new advert for Yas Island in Abu Dhabi
DUBAI: British actress Millie Bobby Brown is starring in a new advert for entertainment destination Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
With a nod to “Stranger Things,” Brown is seen buckling into Formula Rossa, the world’s fastest rollercoaster alongside her husband Jake Bongiovi.
Moments before launch, she asks him about the speed, and when he replies “240 km an hour,” she makes a quick exit. The advert continues with lights flickering and Brown and other characters glitching with effects reminiscent of the hit Netflix series.
Created by the Duffer Brothers, “Stranger Things” debuted in 2016 and quickly became one of Netflix’s most popular series, with its fourth season amassing more than 140.7 million views globally.
The series has garnered over 70 awards worldwide, including Emmys and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
Brown was announced as a brand ambassador for Yas Island in November.
The Netflix show’s final season five is being released in stages. The first four episodes streamed on Nov. 26, and will be followed by three on Dec. 25, and the finale on New Year’s Eve.
In her first promotional clip for Yas Island, she is seen back in the Byers’ living room, made famous on the show, framed by the glow of the iconic alphabet wall that is a key element of the “Stranger Things” storyline.
In the video, she jokes about taking a holiday after five seasons of the show as the lights begin to flicker, illuminating one by one until they spell out “YAS.”
Brown is the latest celebrity to take on a role with Yas Island, following Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Hart and Jason Momoa, who were all “Chief Island Officers.”
The actors starred in a series of amusing adverts for the entertainment destination, including Reynolds appearing to skydive over Abu Dhabi.
