Routes will allow passengers to explore KSA cultural sites Major employment boost for local tourism sector JEDDAH: Cruise Saudi has hire more senior executives as it begins to ramp up operations and has also revealed plans to invest in the development of ports along the Red Sea coast. Barbara Grabenweger and Serafin Blazquez have been appointed to focus on Cruise Saudi’s port and shore excursion operations. Launched by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) in January, Cruise Saudi aims to put the Kingdom on the international cruise map as a tourist destination while generating more than 50,000 jobs in the local tourism industry. Grabenweger previously worked for Royal Caribbean Group and ITM-Group Mexico, while Blazquez was previously with Intercruises Shoreside and Port Services, and Global Ports Holding. As director of shore excursions and product development, Grabenweger will oversee service delivery and work with local businesses to develop passenger activities at ports of call. Blazquez will take on the role of executive director of port and terminal operations with a focus on prioritizing the preservation of the Red Sea’s ecosystem, while developing potential commercial opportunities. Cruise Saudi will develop routes that allow passengers to explore the Kingdom’s heritage and culture, including UNESCO World Heritage sites. Speaking at the recent Seatrade Cruise Virtual: Expedition Cruising webinar, Ghassan Khan, chief strategy officer at Cruise Saudi, revealed plans to develop ports along the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf. “We are focusing on developing six destinations within the next few years, but for this year, we will be activating three cruise facilities along the Red Sea – Jeddah, Yanbu, and Al-Wajh,” said Khan in an interview with Seatrade Cruise. Three of Saudi Arabia’s five UNESCO World Heritage sites are close to the ports that Cruise Saudi plans to target. “We are in an age of mass tourism and selfie sticks, and these sites are fresh air for expedition tourists,” he added. Khan pointed out that there was vast potential for the Kingdom to become an important source market for the global cruise sector. “This is the first time in decades that a new cruise destination has truly opened up, and it’s really a milestone for us as a company and a country, and I believe for the cruise industry as well,” he said.