Red Sea Global, FII Institute, Wave, and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, lead collaborative study on accelerating innovation in sustainable travel

Riyadh, 25 June 2025 – A major new report released today by Red Sea Global (RSG), the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute, Wave, and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, highlights an urgent need for investment and innovation in regenerative tourism — a model that goes beyond sustainability to actively restore ecosystems and empower communities.

Titled “Unlocking Innovation for Regenerative Tourism,” the report identifies a paradox at the heart of the booming blue economy — valued at $2.5 trillion and expected to double by 2030 — where rising consumer demand for eco-conscious travel far outpaces the industry’s capacity to deliver restorative experiences.

Drawing on global surveys of hospitality leaders, investors, innovators, and case study analysis, the report highlights the tourism sector’s direct contribution to global GDP at approximately US$9.9 trillion, representing 9.1% of the total global GDP in 2023. Moreover, coastal and marine tourism represents over 50% of total global tourism, indicating that regenerative tourism constitutes a vastly underserved segment with the potential to deliver on economic, sustainability and social goals for local communities and global industries.

“At Red Sea Global, we believe that tourism can be a powerful force for good. This report underscores the urgent need to unlock innovation and investment in regenerative practices,” says Raed Albasseet, Group Chief Environment & Sustainability Officer at Red Sea Global. “Our own regenerative tourism efforts demonstrate that it is possible to create thriving destinations that also protect and enhance the environment.”

Penny Richards, CEO of the Future Investment Initiative Institute said “Innovation today will define the tourism industry of tomorrow and I urge investors, policy makers and innovators to look carefully at the findings of this groundbreaking report.”

“This important study highlights the critical role of data and collaboration in restoring our oceans,” said Jamila El Mir, Insights and Activation Lead at Wave “By leveraging data-driven insights to fill our knowledge gaps, and fostering partnerships across the tourism ecosystem supported by ocean data platforms such as oceancentral.org by Wave, we can unlock regenerative solutions that ensure a thriving ocean for generations to come”

Olivier Wenden, Vice Chairman and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation added, “The findings from this report provide a roadmap to protecting biodiversity and advancing the sustainable use of ocean resources. The Foundation remains committed to championing regenerative approaches, especially in the Mediterranean, Polar Regions, and Least Developed Countries.”

Key Findings from the Report:

• Demand-Supply Mismatch: 43% of global travelers are willing to pay more for sustainable stays, but few options currently deliver genuinely regenerative value.
• Investor Hesitation: 58% of investors cite a lack of confidence or data to fund regenerative tourism, despite a $3 trillion market opportunity.
• Innovation Gaps: Nearly a third of hospitality leaders agree that the emerging innovation pipeline is in need of significant funding to support growth at scale
• Action Lag: Although half of hospitality leaders understand regenerative tourism, only 20% have implemented it at scale.
• Economic Potential Undervalued: Over 40% of innovators report difficulty raising funds due to a lack of recognition for the economic impact of their solutions.

Ocean Community Uniting on the Journey to Ocean Regeneration
In an effort to engage stakeholders and foster collaboration, the publication’s insights were shared and discussed during a workshop in Monaco on 7^th June 2025, held alongside the Blue Economy & Finance Forum , and explored during a panel on 10th June 2025 at the Startup Reef in the Innovation Pavilion at the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, during which innovators were invited to showcase blue tech solutions to support regenerative practices in the tourism industry.

“This collaborative research effort underscores the importance of harnessing technologies such as artificial intelligence to accelerate the transition to a regenerative tourism sector,” said Salma Baghdadi, Innovation Lead at Wave “Our work is grounded in impact — regenerative tourism is not only an environmental and social imperative, but an economic opportunity requiring innovation and blue tech to scale smart, resource-efficient solutions at speed.”

A Call to Action

The report outlines a clear call to action for both public and private stakeholders:

• Raising awareness among institutional and private investors
• Engaging hospitality institutions to drive adoption
• Growing the pipeline of ready-to-scale startups
• Advocating for stronger regulation

Opportunities to unlock regenerative tourism include:

• Policy Enablement: Enhancing regulatory environments that favor long-term regenerative impact.
• Investment Acceleration: Strategic funding to grow blue tech and community-led models.
• Framework Alignment: Coordinated development of global sustainability benchmarks.
• Cross-Sector Collaboration: Initiatives to unite hospitality, policy, finance, and innovation communities.

—ENDS

_________

Background for Editors

Supporting Contributors

As a key contributor to the report, Red Sea Global provided valuable case studies and technical insights drawn from its development of regenerative tourism destinations such as The Red Sea and AMAALA in Saudi Arabia. RSG’s contributions demonstrate real-world application of principles discussed in the report.

RSG’s sustainability efforts include powering destinations with 100% renewable energy, marine restoration initiatives like coral and seagrass nurseries, and community programs such as local skills development and sustainable agriculture cooperatives.

About the Report Partners

Red Sea Global is a leading developer of regenerative tourism destinations and a contributor to the report’s insights.
redseaglobal.com

Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute is a global non-profit foundation driven by data with an investment arm and one agenda: Impact on Humanity. Global and inclusive, we foster great minds from around the world and turn ideas into real-world solutions in four critical areas: Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Robotics, Education, Healthcare and Sustainability
fii-institute.org

Wave, founded by HRH Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, is the Catmosphere Foundation’s collective action platform targeting science-led restoration of a thriving ocean.
Powered by the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute, and in partnership with the Ministry of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Wave strives towards the ambitious yet attainable goal of Ocean Regeneration within a Human Generation.
thewave.global
Wave operates ocean data aggregator tool Ocean Central: oceancentral.org

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is a global leader in advancing planetary health and promoting innovative environmental solutions.
fpa2.org

—ENDS—