Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Global has opened Miraval The Red Sea on Shura Island, the wellness brand’s first resort outside the United States and the latest luxury addition to the developer’s flagship destination, chief executive John Pagano said in a social media post on May 12.
The 180-key property comprises rooms, suites and villas and is anchored by the 3,000 sqm Life in Balance Spa, the largest spa on Shura Island. The resort is positioned around mindfulness, connection and intention, Pagano said in a post on LinkedIn.
The opening forms part of the build-out of Shura Island, the centrepiece of The Red Sea destination off the kingdom’s western coast. The resort joins a growing roster of luxury operators on the island as Red Sea Global ramps up its hospitality offering.
Pagano said Ramadan demand had been strong and that bookings for Eid Al-Adha were continuing to build. The opening reflected confidence in Saudi Arabia’s tourism offering and the growing appeal of The Red Sea as a destination for world-class hospitality, regenerative tourism and what Pagano called authentic Saudi hafawah.
Miraval, owned by Hyatt Hotels Corporation, operates three properties in Arizona, Texas and Massachusetts. The Red Sea launch marks the brand’s international debut.
The Red Sea destination is one of the giga-projects driving Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 tourism diversification programme, with Red Sea Global tasked with developing 22 islands along a 200 km stretch of coastline. Red Sea Global is a wholly owned subsidiary of the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The destination targets 1mn visitors a year by 2030 across its phased portfolio of resorts, with operators including Six Senses, St. Regis, Edition, Raffles, Fairmont and Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve already operational on other islands in the development.
Saudi Arabia recorded a sharp rebound in inbound tourism in the early months of 2026 despite the regional war, with the kingdom pushing hard on its wider Vision 2030 hospitality programme to position itself as a global luxury destination alongside the Maldives and the United Arab Emirates.
Vision 2030 tourism push
The Red Sea project sits at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy and grow tourism, with a target of 150mn visitors annually by 2030. The wider development spans 28,000 sq km along the Red Sea coast and includes 22 islands and six inland sites. Across The Red Sea and sister destination AMAALA, Red Sea Global expects to create 120,000 new jobs.
Hot List 2026 at a glance
- Property: The Red Sea EDITION, Shura Island
- Operator: Marriott International (EDITION brand)
- Keys: 240
- Developer: Red Sea Global
- Recognition: Condé Nast Traveller Middle East 2026 Hot List
- Previous accolade: Forbes Travel Guide best new hotel opening 2025
Red Sea Global is wholly owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and led by chief executive John Pagano. The Hot List inclusion is the latest international endorsement for a destination Saudi authorities have positioned as proof that the Kingdom can compete at the top end of global luxury hospitality.