Historically, mentioning Saudi Arabia has brought heat, barren deserts and oil fields to mind. But that is changing rapidly
Under the vibrant leadership of an absolute monarchy led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi is being reimagined as a world-class hub for tourism and technology.
WATCH: Saudi Arabia country profile
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia covers more than two million square kilometres in the Arabian Peninsula.It’s the fifth-largest country in Asia and the second-largest in the Arab world.
Crown Prince-in-waiting Mohammed bin Salman, or MBS, aims to reposition his country as a global superpower. Saudi is home to almost 36 million people, and the country’s wealth has mushroomed since discovering massive oil reserves in 1938.
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A diamond in the desert
This trillion-dollar discovery allowed Saudi to forge a new path in the dusty desert. Millions of dollars are being poured into research and development, with technological advancement being the primary goal.
Neom project
One such development is the Neom project.
Neom – gets its name from the Arabic words “new” and “vision”.
Three prominent examples of Neom developments are “The Line, Trojena and Oxagon.
The Line for living
Dubbed the city of the future, The Line, which will house residents, is probably the most impressive. A daring collaboration of architects, spatial planners and futurists designed its blueprint for a new way of living. The end of the line will stretch 270 km long and 200m wide, housing nine million people. It aims to minimise human impact on the environment without compromising personal comfort.
The structure will have everything residents need within walking distance and powered by Artificial Intelligence. Cars won’t feature in the megacity, so that The Line will have 0 co2 emissions.
The Oxagon and Trojena
Alongside The Line, plans and underway for an Oxagon as a manufacturing and trade hub. High net-worth tourists and diplomats will find serenity in Trojena, a jewel in the mountains.
These developments, along with many others, will give Saudi Arabia a new image in the coming years.
While Neom is busy cementing Saudi Arabia’s future, the country is by no means ignoring the present. There’s been a massive push in recent years to draw tourists to the country. Historically, the country’s tourism revenue is primarily driven by religious pilgrimages.
Devout Muslims from all over the world descend on Mecca once a year to worship. But, MBS wants his country to also cash in on global leisure travel. Cities like Riyadh and Jeddah are being transformed into playgrounds for the rich and famous. The country is expected to continue investing and innovating for decades to come.
