The Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA), the key enabler and official regulator of coastal tourism in the Kingdom’s Red Sea, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Heritage Commission, the entity responsible for regulating and developing the heritage sector in the Kingdom, with the aim of defining general frameworks for cooperation in areas of common jurisdiction.
The MoU aligns with the Authority’s mission, which aims to issue licenses and permits as it regulates navigational and marine activities. Additionally, it seeks to cooperate and exchange experiences with regional and international bodies and organizations and promote navigational and marine tourism activities in the Red Sea to attract targeted practitioners.
SRSA was represented in the signing by Acting CEO Mohammed Al-Asiri, while the Heritage Commission was represented by CEO Dr. Jasser bin Suleiman Al-Harbash.
The MoU includes items related to the exchange of experiences within the scope of work of the two parties, including the underwater cultural heritage of the Red Sea.
The memorandum furthermore focuses on working together in proposing regulations related to common goals, following up on requirements for issuing marine and underwater heritage surveys and excavation permits, enacting measures to preserve marine heritage, providing support for documenting marine and submerged heritage in the Red Sea, and ensuring technical cooperation to achieve mutual goals.
The MoU also includes cooperation in intangible cultural heritage, by providing support for registering sites within the Authority’s domain on the UNESCO World Heritage List, exchanging data and information on such sites, coordinating community awareness programs, and launching initiatives to promote cultural heritage assets and marine heritage as intangible cultural heritage, in addition to marine tourism and recreational activities.
The memorandum is part of SRSA’s efforts to expand its strategic partnerships, exchange expertise and learn about best practices to promote coastal tourism, enable sustainable development, and highlight the Red Sea’s potential as a global tourist destination while preserving and protecting the natural environment, aside from consolidating the Kingdom’s pivotal position and role as a key cultural hub, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 goals.
