Neom, a dream city of MBS, future of Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: The latest development has been announced for a $500 billion “smart city” in Saudi Arabia, which will be 33 times the size of New York.

Developers of the Neom project have announced Leyja as an ecotourism destination within the confines, which will sit at the Gulf of Aqaba coast.

Leyja will be part of the Neom metropolis and will share the vision of the wider project in being free of cars and will operate as a net zero entity, the foreign media reported.

The destination will be within the ancient mountains of the region, and 95 per cent of the landscape will be designated as a nature reserve. Artist impression images have shown the blending of the mountainous region with the design of the architecture.

Around the five-star accommodation complexes, complete with world-renowned chefs and wellness spas, will be guided walks, rock climbing and water sports facilities. It is just the latest step forward in the highly ambitious project.

Neom is part of the Saudi Project 2030. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has hailed Neom as a vision of the future and a venture that will put Saudi Arabia at the centre of conversation in steps to counter the climate crisis.

Neom is a city of mind-bending proportions. It is a $500 billion project that will cover 263,000 hectares, roughly the size of a small English county. Not all of that land will have people living in it though, as much of the site has been reserved for nature.

MBS has ring-fenced an area of northwest Saudi Arabia for the project, close to the Suez Canal, near its borders with Jordan and Egypt. Its coastal access will make it a trading port and also attract industry and trade. MBS has handed over day-to-day runnings to the chief executive Nadhmi Al-Nasr, who has been at the helm since 2018. The key to the project’s identity is that it will be car-free and will use robots to help residents. The goal is to create a city of nine million who are able to get everything they need within a short walk.