Yam Beach in KAEC gets Saudi Arabia's first beach operator licence

The Saudi Red Sea Authority has issued Saudi Arabia's first beach operator licence to Emaar, The Economic City, for Yam Beach in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

The licence was issued through the authority's unified coastal tourism platform under the beach operator rules it introduced in late 2025. Those rules cover licensing, operating standards, visitor safety and the environment: operators must provide basic facilities and services, make them accessible to people with disabilities, keep certified lifeguards on duty during opening hours, separate swimming areas from water sports zones and have safety and evacuation plans. They also have to manage waste, monitor water and sand quality and protect marine life.

The authority worked with the Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority, which oversees KAEC, and private partners on the licence.

For beachgoers on the Red Sea coast, a licensed beach means a site that has to meet these safety and service standards, with lifeguards on duty when it is open. Opening hours, entry prices and booking details for Yam Beach have not been announced with the licence, so check with KAEC before you go.