Saudi Crown Prince MBS gave the world plenty to think about when he announced the gigaproject NEOM. Most were skeptical of the 170km strip ever coming to life. Not only is NEOM taking shape in full swing, but it is also introducing more and more megaprojects every passing day. NEOM, located in northwest Saudi Arabia, is bigger than 10 Hong Kongs put together. It was mostly known for its four developments – Sindalah, Trojena, Oxagon, and The Line. But in the last year, there have been many unique and out-of-this-world plans revealed by the kingdom to build up its tourism economy.
According to Dezeen, NEOM has registered a series of trademarks, including Treyam, Aquellum, and Jaumur, probably names of future developments in the region. There are futuristic names like Gidori, Xaynor, and Siranna, suggestive of an avant-garde hospitality project or a futuristic experience center. With six of NEOM’s planned ten regions announced, these names could crop up soon with OTT renderings that will make our jaws drop. Names like Utamo, Norlana, and Elanan were registered in the travel category; Magna and Safana are listed as entertainment, leisure, and amusement.
It is only a matter of time before these developments won’t be mere words but multi-million dollar projects that will prove skeptics of MBS wrong. The Crown Prince told Discovery Channel, ‘They say a lot of projects in Saudi Arabia cannot be done. They’re ‘too ambitious,” he said of NEOM. ‘They can keep saying that, and we can keep proving them wrong.’ He added, ‘In 2030, we will reach the full capacity of Saudi Arabia’s current infrastructure,’ Prince Mohammed said. ‘That raises a very important question – that we need to create new cities. When it comes to engineering and design, [we] also need art. The whole city is a piece of art. It’s amazing, massive, and huge … and very doable.’
Prince Mohammed wants to bring development to the nearly untouched Northwestern Saudi Arabia. ‘It’s empty [and] has a mix of topography, from mountains to islands, beaches, dunes, to oases, corals, skiing to diving,’ he said. ‘NEOM will compete with Miami in terms of entertainment, culture, sports, and retail. Saudi Arabia wants to create a new civilization for tomorrow. We encourage other countries to do the same for a better planet. It’s going to be something new and creative.’
Cynics who didn’t believe in the vision of the visionary royal are witnessing the impossible take shape along with some very fascinating projects like NEOM Leyja and project Epicon. Saudi Crown Prince MBS even plans to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup at the futuristic Trojena Ski Resort. The space features a mountain village next to a 2-mile man-made lake, luxury residences, and a wellness resort. Leyja, located on the Gulf of Aqaba, will boast three environmentally sustainable hotels, offering a total of 120 boutique rooms and suites.
Epicon is yet another premium tourism destination along the Gulf of Aqaba, featuring two sky-high structures standing 738 and 900 feet tall. All these projects align perfectly with Saudi Vision 2030 and its commitment to sustainable tourism and are under construction.
What is NEOM?
Announced by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017 as part of the Vision 2030 initiative, NEOM City is a new way of living. NEOM includes the 170km strip The Line, Trojena Ski Resort, Sindalah Yachting Destination, and Oxagon, a floating logistics hub. In 2023, NEOM announced several new projects of luxury hotels, a new airline, a $1.5 billion high-speed rail line, and also shared a progress film. A three-minute video, ‘NEOM is Real,’ released on October 11, 2023, showcased substantial progress in NEOM’s key areas. The video offers viewers a glimpse into the world’s largest green hydrogen plant, set to be operational by 2026 under the NEOM Green Hydrogen Company. Currently, 60,000 workers are actively involved, supported by over 3,000 employees from 90 nations.
