Saudi Arabia’s futuristic mega-city project, Neom, announced the launch of its “first physical showcase” on Sunday: Sindalah, a luxury Red Sea island with upscale restaurants, hotels, and yachting facilities.
This unveiling occurs just ahead of a major investor forum, often dubbed “Davos in the Desert,” scheduled to begin in Riyadh on Tuesday.
According to Neom’s CEO, Nadhmi al-Nasr, Sindalah’s opening marks a step in supporting the Kingdom’s push into luxury tourism. Neom’s most iconic feature, “The Line”, consists of twin, mirror-clad skyscrapers spanning 170 kilometers inland from the coast.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman revealed The Line in 2022, projecting a population of over one million by 2030, growing to nine million by 2045.
However, a Bloomberg report earlier this year suggested more conservative estimates, predicting only 300,000 residents and 2.4 kilometers of The Line completed by the decade’s end.
Neom’s development continues alongside other major projects under Vision 2030, the Crown Prince’s initiative to position Saudi Arabia for a sustainable post-oil future. In December, Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said officials had decided to push the timeframe for some major projects past 2030, without specifying which ones.
