Jeddah is expanding its year-round marine tourism offering along the Red Sea, pairing wider access to beaches and water sports with tighter licensing, safety supervision and environmental controls.The city’s public beaches are open to residents and visitors, while the Saudi Red Sea Authority regulates beach operators and providers of coastal tourism activities. The approach is intended to raise service standards and reduce risks as demand grows for swimming, diving, sailing and other water-based recreation.
Jeddah Municipality is carrying out regular waterfront inspections aimed at preventing illegal discharges and protecting coastal water quality. Captain Thamer Nahas, the municipality official responsible for coastal monitoring and protection, said coordination with other authorities includes separating zones used for water sports from designated swimming areas.
Swimming beaches have monitoring posts and rescue towers staffed by qualified lifeguards from sunrise to sunset. Municipal plans include developing additional free public beaches with essential services, with proposed locations assessed through hydrodynamic studies covering wave conditions, currents and accessibility.
The measures add a regulatory and operational layer to Jeddah’s growing role as a Red Sea leisure gateway. During the 2026 summer season, 13 beaches and marine sites were reported to be drawing increased activity, supported by 66 male and female lifeguards and 34 field supervisors.
South Obhur has been developed as a public beach destination with open swimming areas, facilities and beach games. Training centres for sailing and kitesurfing have operated along the coast, taking advantage of conditions suited to those activities. Jeddah Creek Beach offers jet skiing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and speedboat excursions, alongside diving opportunities around Red Sea coral reefs.
The Saudi Red Sea Authority’s oversight has become more formal this year. New requirements for beach operators establish a unified framework covering licensing, risk management, public safety and environmental protection along more than 1,800 kilometres of Saudi Red Sea coastline.
Under those requirements, beach operators are restricted to licensed entities, with licences issued for two years. Applicants must meet conditions that include environmental permits, insurance documentation, marine spatial planning and safety plans. Licensed lifeguards, appropriate safety equipment and systems for reporting incidents are also required.
The framework took effect a month after its January announcement, while existing operators were given a one-year period to correct their status. The authority has described the rules as a means of improving operational consistency while giving investors clearer requirements for developing beach tourism services.
Regulation extends beyond beaches. The authority licenses activities including tourist marinas, maritime tourism agents and yacht rental businesses, with technical, operational, security and environmental requirements forming part of the approval process. By the end of the first quarter of 2026, it had issued eight yacht rental licences after granting three additional permits in April.
Jeddah’s marine tourism offering also draws on offshore destinations. Boat excursions take visitors towards islands and coral reef sites, with Bayadah Island among the better-known locations off the city’s coast. Farther south along the Makkah region coastline, the Four Sisters islands near Al Lith attract divers interested in reef environments and marine biodiversity.
Environmental protection remains central to the regulatory model because tourism activity overlaps with sensitive marine habitats. The Saudi Red Sea Authority says its mandate includes setting policies for navigational and marine tourism, issuing licences and permits, identifying infrastructure requirements and establishing mechanisms to protect the marine environment.
Jeddah Municipality’s inspection programme complements that work at city level. Its summer preparations earlier this year covered 12 beaches and waterfront destinations, with daily inspections focused on readiness and visitor safety. Beachgoers were instructed to swim only in designated areas between sunrise and sunset, follow lifeguard directions and supervise children closely.
Water-safety campaigns have also involved the Public Health Authority, Saudi Red Crescent Authority and Border Guard. Activities held at Jeddah beaches in July focused on drowning prevention, safe swimming practices and appropriate responses during emergencies.
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