Nature-positive tourism: AlUla won Gold in the Nature Positive Responsible Tourism category at the 2026 ICRT Responsible Tourism Awards, citing protected reserves across more than half its area, native tree planting (500,000+), and wildlife releases (1,500+), with conservation and ecosystem restoration built into its tourism planning. Sustainable tourism partnerships: The World Economic Forum launched the inaugural Beyond Tourism Impact Stars cohort, including six private-sector initiatives developed with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism, aiming to strengthen communities, expand opportunity, and protect the environment amid climate disruption and rising tourism pressures. Aviation and environment-adjacent resilience: MedAire says business aviation demand is growing across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with operators prioritizing medical support and security planning to keep operations safe as regional conditions get more complex. Sustainability rankings: King Faisal University climbed to 129th globally and second among Saudi universities in the 2026 UI GreenMetric rankings, highlighting campus resource-efficiency and sustainability governance. Water governance tech: An ANSO-COMSATS conference on AI-enabled solutions for sustainable water governance, security and safety wrapped up, focusing on using AI to tackle water scarcity and flood risks. Red Sea risk context: Coverage also points to ongoing Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb disruption tied to the Yemen crisis, underscoring how maritime instability can affect regional trade and environmental pressures.