• Raffaele Breschi appointed General Manager of Dream of the Desert and CEO of Arsenale International, reinforcing operational momentum ahead of 2026 launch
  • Collaboration with national entities accelerates development and destination activation across Saudi Arabia

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Dream of the Desert, Saudi Arabia’s first ultra-luxury train by Arsenale Group, marked a major development milestone with the opening of its headquarters in Riyadh and the appointment of Raffaele Breschi as General Manager of Dream of the Desert and CEO of Arsenale International. This step marks the next phase of the project’s delivery in the country, reinforcing its central role in Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation as it advances toward its 2026 debut.

The establishment of a permanent base in Riyadh anchors the project firmly within Saudi Arabia’s tourism and transport ecosystem and marks Arsenale’s first international headquarters, underscoring a long-term, on-the-ground commitment beyond project development.

Operating from Saudi Arabia’s capital, the project team will work closely with national stakeholders – including the Ministry of Culture (MOC); the Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services, with Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR), and the Transport General Authority (TGA); and the Ministry of Tourism, with Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), and the Tourism Development Fund (TDF), the national enabler of Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector, to ensure operational readiness and activate cultural and touristic destinations along the route ahead of the inaugural journeys scheduled for the end of 2026.

As the project advances toward launch, Breschi will oversee the end-to-end setup of Dream of the Desert in Saudi Arabia, including organisational build-out, regulatory coordination, product development, distribution, talent development, and operational performance.

Breschi brings a strong track record in international expansion and luxury hospitality development. He joined Arsenale Group in 2023 as part of its global leadership team, following senior roles focused on growth across the Middle East, and previously served as a Partner at McKinsey & Company, advising global developers and sovereign entities on large-scale tourism and hospitality strategies.

In parallel to his role as General Manager of Dream of the Desert, Breschi has been appointed CEO of Arsenale International, where he spearheads all Arsenale projects outside Italy. In this capacity, Dream of the Desert remains a flagship project within the international portfolio, with his primary focus centered on its successful delivery and launch in Saudi Arabia.

“Establishing our headquarters in Riyadh reflects our commitment to building Dream of the Desert from within the Kingdom,’’ said Raffaele Breschi, General Manager of Dream of the Desert. “Working alongside our national partners enables us to shape a rail experience that is globally distinctive yet deeply rooted in Saudi culture – one that celebrates the Kingdom’s landscapes, heritage, and hospitality while setting a new benchmark for experiential travel in the region.’’

Designed to redefine luxury rail travel globally while showcasing Saudi Arabia’s landscapes, culture and heritage, Dream of the Desert will offer immersive, one to three-day journeys across the country, combining refined onboard hospitality with curated off-board experiences. The project forms part of Saudi Arabia’s broader tourism and infrastructure transformation, supporting Saudi Vision 2030’s ambition to position the Kingdom as a leading destination for high-value, culturally rooted travel.

Spanning more than 1,300 kilometers of Saudi Arabia’s existing railway tracks, the route will activate destinations across multiple locations, creating new gateways into the country’s natural and cultural landscapes through curated itineraries that blend craftsmanship, storytelling and destination discovery.

Beyond its luxury travel experience, Dream of the Desert is set to play a meaningful socio-economic role in Saudi Arabia. The project will support hospitality workforce development, with a strong focus on Saudization, enable specialised skills transfer in rail-based guest experience operations, stimulate local supply chains, and contribute to the continued growth of an experiential tourism ecosystem across the country.

With its headquarters now established in Riyadh and leadership focused on delivery, Dream of the Desert moves steadily toward its 2026 debut as one of Saudi Arabia’s most distinctive luxury experiential travel initiatives.

Priority List is now open via the website. For details on itineraries & experiences, please visit www.dreamofthedesert.com.

For more information, please contact Brazen MENA:
E: DOTD@brazenmena.com

ABOUT ARSENALE S.p.A.

Founded in 2020 by Paolo Barletta and Annabel Holding, Arsenale is an Italian company in the luxury hospitality sector, focused on enhancing Italian tourism. It operates through two divisions. The Hospitality division designs and manages hotels in collaboration with luxury brands like Soho House and Orient Express, including Orient Express La Minerva Rome and the upcoming opening of the second Orient Express hotel in Venice in 2026, alongside new developments in Rome, Cortina, Tuscany, and Southern Italy. The Luxury Train Cruising division launched the La Dolce Vita Orient Express, the first sustainable luxury rail tourism project, in partnership with Orient Express, Trenitalia, Ferrovie dello Stato Group, Fondazione FS, and TTI.

Since 2023, Arsenale has expanded internationally with four signed projects: Dream of the Desert, Saudi Arabia's first ultra-luxury train to traverse the Kingdom, developed in collaboration with Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR), the Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services, the Transport General Authority (TGA), Ministry of Culture (MOC), and Saudi Tourism Authority (STA). Launching end of 2026, Dream of the Desert redefines rail travel in the Kingdom with a unique blend of elegance, culture, and discovery. Designed to reflect Saudi Arabia’s rich heritage and breathtaking natural beauty, the train offers an exclusive gateway to the country's most iconic destinations. A new benchmark in luxury travel, crafted by Arsenale; The Samarkand Express, Central Asia's first luxury train in Uzbekistan, developed in partnership with O'zbekiston Temir Yo'llari JSC and the State Committee for Tourism; Guardian of the Nile, Egypt's first luxury train, in partnership with Egypt National Railway; and a luxury train in the UAE in partnership with Etihad Railway. 

In September 2025, the company acquired 100% of Golden Eagle Luxury Trains Ltd., a historic British company regarded as an international benchmark in long-distance luxury rail travel. This transaction marks a further strategic step in Arsenale's growth trajectory, strengthening its position as a key player in the global high-end tourism sector. www.arsenalegroup.com

Arsenale
Chief Marketing Officer
Simona Pantò, simona.panto@arsenalegroup.com

Dream of the Desert
Marketing Director
Sarah Khaled, sarah.khaled@arsenalegroup.com

Brazen MENA
Senior Account  Executive
Momina Sheikh, momina@brazenmena.com