Saudi Arabian cruise line Aroya Cruises has appointed its first president.

Joerg Rudolph joins the line with 20 years’ experience in the cruise industry, having held positions at Costa Cruises in Germany, Tui, Aida Cruises, Carnival and Royal Caribbean International, making him the “ideal choice” to lead the line, it said.

The new cruise line, which is part of Cruise Saudi, is scheduled to launch this year, and has “ambitions to welcome more than 1.3 million passengers to Saudi per year by 2035”.

In his role as president, Rudolph will be responsible for delivering Aroya Cruises to the market, overseeing the line’s operations and finances, including sales, marketing, guest experience, itinerary planning and revenue management, as well as developing and implementing strategies to grow the business.

“I am delighted to be joining Cruise Sauid as president of Aroya Cruises at such a significant time in the business,” he said.

“To be part of delivering such a unique and innovative product catering specifically for a new source market is an incredible opportunity.”

Chief executive Lars Clasen added: “Cruise Saudi has grown rapidly as a business over the last few years and Joerg Rudolph’s appointment as president of Aroya Cruises is a milestone in the company’s journey to providing a unique offering delivered to an exceptional standard.

“I look forward to working with Joerg as we work towards the milestone launch of Aroya Cruises.”