Saudi Arabia's AlWajh International Airport has resumed flights after a modernisation overhaul by developer Red Sea Global, with annual passenger capacity raised fivefold to support tourism demand in the kingdom's north-western Tabuk province, group chief executive John Pagano said on June 7, Emerging Travel Arabia reported.

The reopening marks the completion of the first project under Red Sea Global's expanded infrastructure portfolio, extending the Public Investment Fund-owned developer beyond its flagship Red Sea and AMAALA tourism destinations into wider aviation and regional development. The upgrade positions AlWajh, codenamed EJH, as a feeder gateway for AMAALA, the luxury wellness destination Red Sea Global is building along the Red Sea coast.

Writing on his LinkedIn account, Pagano said capacity at the airport had risen from 100,000 to 500,000 passengers a year, serving both local demand and future tourism growth.

"Today, the people of Tabuk have an international-ready airport that increases connectivity to the rest of the Kingdom and beyond," Pagano said.

He said AMAALA lay 45 minutes from the airport by electric vehicle and 20 minutes by seaplane.

"This project is about far more than an airport terminal. It is about creating a gateway that connects people, supports economic growth, and opens new opportunities for communities across the region," he said.

Red Sea Global was awarded the refurbishment and modernisation of the airport in October 2023, the company's first announced project under the broadened mandate. The work focused on bringing the airport up to international standards, upgrading the existing terminal and infrastructure and constructing a new international terminal.

The airport is set to become the base of operations for Fly Red Sea, the kingdom's first seaplane company. Saudia transferred four of its scheduled flights from AlWajh to the nearby Red Sea International Airport in October 2023 when the development began.

The work forms part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 economic diversification drive, which places tourism at the centre of efforts to reduce the kingdom's reliance on oil.