Saudi Arabia's long coastlines on the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf are fueling a fast-growing diving and marine tourism sector. Rooted in pearl-diving traditions in the Farasan Islands and Gulf ports, diving has become an organized, high-value investment field that serves Saudi Vision 2030 and the national blue economy.

Marine biodiversity is the Kingdom's main advantage. National Center for Wildlife studies have recorded more than 1,200 fish species and over 300 coral species and produced the world's largest Red Sea biodiversity database, with more than 12.8 billion genetic sequences. Coral walls, pristine islands and deep drop-offs at Yanbu, Umluj, Bayadah and the Farasan Islands draw experienced divers and photographers, while the calmer Gulf waters and historic wrecks off Jubail and Jana Island suit wreck exploration, night dives and beginners.

Family heritage runs through the sector. Ali, 89, who spent 60 years at sea, sells fresh fish from his stall while his four sons use the family boats as dive instructors and guides for scientific expeditions. Abdullah Hussein, 68, recalls four decades of hard pearl diving, a legacy now presented to new audiences at cultural events. Among newer divers, engineer Abdullah Al-Dosari began in 2017 and worked through PADI certifications to an Advanced Open Water Diver license, learning safety procedures, decompression calculations and buoyancy control to protect coral, and has dived from Half Moon Beach and Jeddah to Jana Island.

Growth rests on a regulatory system led by the Saudi Water Sports and Diving Federation (SWSDF). Founded in 2018, it has standardized professional licensing, surveyed more than 1,000 dive sites across 400 open-water destinations and accredited 68 shore-diving locations. Through "Zawil", a permit portal developed with the General Directorate of Border Guard and Elm Company, the Kingdom regulates 93 accredited dive centers and supports over 50,000 licensed divers.

Instructor Ahmed Ali said centers operating around the clock give access to sites such as Jazan, Al-Lith and Bayadah, and that licensing by PADI, SSI and NAUI along with SWSDF accreditation is key to safety, habitat protection and tourist confidence. That framework allowed licensed instructor Abdulaziz Al-Wabil to turn his hobby into a business, training young people from age 10 and leading week-long liveaboard "safari" trips for wreck diving and marine exploration.

Divers also take part in coral cultivation, ecological surveys and environmental monitoring with academic institutions. Together with giga-projects such as The Red Sea and NEOM and growing cruise tourism, the sector is creating specialized careers in marine guiding, technical diving and underwater photography, strengthening the Kingdom's position as a leading hub for sustainable marine tourism.