Saudi Arabia’s ambitious mega-city, Neom, has opened its first luxury resort, the Red Sea island of Sindalah, which includes exclusive hotels, gourmet dining options, and yacht docking facilities. The debut of Sindalah offers a “first physical showcase” of Neom’s vision for futuristic development, according to Neom CEO Nadhmi al-Nasr. He stated that the resort is a glimpse into Neom’s expansive future tourism plans as the Kingdom shifts its focus toward high-end tourism.
Spanning 840,000 square meters, Sindalah is expected to accommodate up to 2,400 visitors daily by 2028, underscoring Saudi Arabia’s aim to become a luxury tourism hub. This development coincides with the Future Investment Initiative, also known as “Davos in the Desert,” taking place in Riyadh this week to attract potential investors.
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Neom is best known for “The Line,” a planned 170-kilometer-long skyscraper encased in mirrors, which was introduced in 2022 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The prince’s initial vision forecasted a population of one million residents by 2030, reaching nine million by 2045. However, recent reports suggest revised estimates, with only about 300,000 residents expected to live in The Line by 2030 and just 2.4 kilometers of the project completed by then.
The Neom project is part of Saudi Arabia’s larger Vision 2030 initiative, spearheaded by the Crown Prince to diversify the Kingdom’s economy and reduce its dependency on oil. Among other major development plans, Saudi Arabia is also preparing to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which requires significant upgrades in sports, lodging, and transport infrastructure.
In December, Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan confirmed that some Vision 2030 timelines have been adjusted, though details of specific project delays remain unconfirmed.
