03/09/2026 04:34 AST
stc group, Saudi Arabia's leading digital enabler, and Red Sea Global are showcasing an intelligent operation management system for three Red Sea destinations at LEAP 2026, taking place from 31 August to 3 September at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.
Spanning Shura Island and Turtle Bay, with 10 square kilometres under high-resolution real-time monitoring, the system, developed by stc Group's subsidiary iot squared, combines a detailed virtual representation of the sites with live information from the physical environment, demonstrating how the technology can support both destination operations and the visitor experience.
The system, known as a Digital Twin, is a virtual version of a real place that reflects what is happening on the ground. It combines high-resolution satellite imagery and 3D modelling with data from sensors and operational systems covering buildings, vehicles and the environment. Because it updates automatically when new imagery or data is available, it reduces the need for repeated aerial surveys and keeps the picture current across land, sea and the marine environment, including coral reefs.
This information is brought together through the Nucleus, a smart operations platform developed by iot squared, an stc group subsidiary, which gives each team a view based on its responsibilities. The Guest Experience Manager monitors the overall guest journey; the Mobility Manager oversees movement and traffic; the Environment Manager monitors key indicators across buildings, facilities and surrounding environments; the Marine Operations Manager monitors conditions at sea; and a Visitor Experience view supports the guest-facing journey. Each operator continues to run its own domain, but all of them now work from a single operational layer rather than separate systems. Teams can also simulate different scenarios, assessing the potential impact of changes in weather, visitor numbers or vehicle movements before they occur.
The value of that shared view is clearest in live operational scenarios. When a large event ends and thousands of guests move at the same time, the Mobility Manager can weigh whether to increase shuttle capacity, change bus frequency or redeploy ground teams, and see the projected impact of each option before committing to it. In an incident scenario such as a fire, teams can model the effect of taking an area out of service and plan the response in advance. Rather than reporting what has already happened, the platform is designed to turn data into context, context into intelligence, and intelligence into action.
Coverage spans both the above-water and underwater environments, with indicators tracked across land, sea and marine habitats. What operators see is a live operational view driven by real sensor data rather than a visual simulation, with alerts raised automatically when a monitored parameter moves outside its expected range, from wind speed and sea state to air temperature and air quality.
Red Sea Global will also integrate the system into its website, giving visitors direct access to explore the destination in 3D, plan activities and receive recommendations based on live conditions, with the option to book directly.
Othman Aldahash, Chief Executive Officer of iot squared, said: "We did not build the technology first and then go looking for a use case. We started with the business, and shaped the technology around it. An individual operator can optimise its own operation. With this platform, Red Sea Global can optimise the entire destination experience. That is why this was delivered in record time."
The collaboration is part of a wider stc showcase at LEAP spanning tourism, sports, logistics, construction and real estate. Participating as the event's Strategic Partner for the fifth consecutive year, the group's showcases highlight how connected digital infrastructure can support the way new destinations and facilities are built, operated and experienced.
Saudi Gazette
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