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An illustration of the Amaala mega-project - one of a number of coastal and tourism schemes Saudi Arabia is developing under Vision 2030. Courtesy of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Natural Heritage
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Vision 2030 is championed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Presidency Press Service / AP
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The world's biggest oil exporter is undertaking a slew of reforms as part of Vision 2030, an economic overhaul plan aimed at lowering the kingdom's dependence on oil income. Reuters
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Visitors walk through the ancient rock heritage site at Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. Bloomberg
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Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman shakes hands with Klaus Kleinfeld , appointed as NEOM's chief executive. Reuters
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The Vision also aims to encourage more women to participate in the workplace. Reuters
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Researcher Michelle Havlik of Australia retrieves a piece of equipment as she dives during a research trip in the Red Sea offshore of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) near the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Reuters
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Shores of the Red Sea in Gizan, Saudi Arabia, where the kingdom plans to boost tourism as part of Vision 2030. Courtesy: flydubai
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Saudi Arabia will work to restore, conserve and sustainably manage a billion hectares of land by 2040. Riyadh Green Project
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The kingdom is overhauling its economy under Vision 2030, a roadmap unveiled in 2016 to help wean the kingdom off oil income. AFP
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Saudi women at a factory in Sudair Industrial City. Modon
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The site of the $500bn Neom project in the Tabuk Province of northwestern Saudi Arabia. Courtesy SCTH
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The lush greenery of Jazan resembles the rice terraces of Bali. Courtesy of Consulum
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Qiddiya City, an entertainment development located on the outskirts of Riyadh, will be home to the kingdom's first theme park. Courtesy Saudi Tourism
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Jack Nicklaus will design a signature championship course at Qiddiya, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy Golf Saudi
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Qiddiya City is an entertainment development project due to be built in Riyadh as part of Vision 2030
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Qiddiya City is an entertainment development project to be established in Riyadh.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KGODUTCFLBSMEOJ73CZHJAIE6Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=1d96f677ff91acb72b6ffc02577c96e1e5decd5d28fcd3e4c4ca0daf7843a3b7&width=400&height=225)
The Twilight Gardens land at Six Flags Qiddiya. Courtesy Qiddiya
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Saudi women work on pots in a workshop in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. Reuters
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Fish swim above a coral reef in the Red Sea offshore of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) near the city of Jeddah. Reuters
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The Red Sea Project will turn untouched coastlines into one of Saudi Arabia's biggest tourism projects where conservation is key. Courtesy The Red Sea Development Company.
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An illustration of the Amaala mega-project - one of a number of coastal and tourism schemes Saudi Arabia is developing under Vision 2030. Courtesy of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Natural Heritage
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EJPZOQYQJIRWKKXJ6TCR7EWI6M.jpg?smart=true&auth=ee6bb183a958490ca11098eedde8f178957a75f904602173e438573634fda5c3&width=400&height=225)
Vision 2030 is championed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Presidency Press Service / AP
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The world's biggest oil exporter is undertaking a slew of reforms as part of Vision 2030, an economic overhaul plan aimed at lowering the kingdom's dependence on oil income. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2DQQLOPGD4HZX6WJTVN46XZ72U.jpg?smart=true&auth=c0475c2a767c2ee4e122a5edadd61566221f5ee41038d8930b3b0674a28aab18&width=400&height=225)
Visitors walk through the ancient rock heritage site at Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. Bloomberg
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MQYMB4IPCLHS6HA7UPONBGH67E.jpg?smart=true&auth=6979bf11c2ad86fac3e5b24bddfd11998e69566ee7b3ac3c41d61336650ef59b&width=400&height=225)
Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman shakes hands with Klaus Kleinfeld , appointed as NEOM's chief executive. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J3TRTS5PN4QMVUCE2VSTIRSMKE.jpg?smart=true&auth=6ccab058a490c93f5535bdf74c0ead833798dc517e130fb3a37fd7ab89345c8e&width=400&height=225)
The Vision also aims to encourage more women to participate in the workplace. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CXGMW3RQFHQDUX4CZUYA2K7ZOM.jpg?smart=true&auth=0883bb381fabcb2478977e22e0b4f250bcc492b9af33c2a6d6f3b1820e9168a5&width=400&height=225)
Researcher Michelle Havlik of Australia retrieves a piece of equipment as she dives during a research trip in the Red Sea offshore of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) near the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PHEMX3KO4SA4LKS4H5BIZPLVLM.jpg?smart=true&auth=38e9e834a9ead95a9720af8f0039498a191c1d3a7230bf69f1faa4417850b739&width=400&height=225)
Shores of the Red Sea in Gizan, Saudi Arabia, where the kingdom plans to boost tourism as part of Vision 2030. Courtesy: flydubai
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DKYHIOUSHDYHKNTNTQTKROUVQU.jpg?smart=true&auth=c855647b7bb033e3b1d6f81dc53a3df2b55b49ca4e71cf955a396e22bb7b6c7a&width=400&height=225)
Saudi Arabia will work to restore, conserve and sustainably manage a billion hectares of land by 2040. Riyadh Green Project
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FEBBHMKSETMYYAO6GXQOOWMYVU.jpg?smart=true&auth=26391eed5ab89a4bd15b2540a4d1d9614c13cc030da72491adcb64ed4964d99f&width=400&height=225)
The kingdom is overhauling its economy under Vision 2030, a roadmap unveiled in 2016 to help wean the kingdom off oil income. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ODAWU3WQUHH2NZWRXWWVKSPW74.jpg?smart=true&auth=38c24b46e338e83fe90139af274b591c4e6b9f3193ea8fac96852833551c628c&width=400&height=225)
Saudi women at a factory in Sudair Industrial City. Modon
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ENAR2YL2WJQA2BWJGTVUMVETQQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=17011c54af7805ae4addc8f37d71cd0afafc646398d6be24c005a63322541849&width=400&height=225)
The site of the $500bn Neom project in the Tabuk Province of northwestern Saudi Arabia. Courtesy SCTH
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HWOXAFO6NAJLUYNUTSO7VQQ7UY.jpg?smart=true&auth=0ab94cdac5c702b969c9e9eb4a34cc40f9ad17617aa449a0eb1a22eee324b58a&width=400&height=225)
The lush greenery of Jazan resembles the rice terraces of Bali. Courtesy of Consulum
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/35B6WEMC3DX3QE7NNFUZN4GEFU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e523480cc10ac3f99148dd8b9dc6482f10fde74e988809dc9287fc78b3d50597&width=400&height=225)
Qiddiya City, an entertainment development located on the outskirts of Riyadh, will be home to the kingdom's first theme park. Courtesy Saudi Tourism
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/I633U6LPQMBCLSBQETV4XIJVLE.jpg?smart=true&auth=9f34e42d301bf1cd366242c2997a30974ec07b4e731233b52e2fc65621951f48&width=400&height=225)
Jack Nicklaus will design a signature championship course at Qiddiya, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy Golf Saudi
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Qiddiya City is an entertainment development project due to be built in Riyadh as part of Vision 2030
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QNXL24IORZ2SQAQYO2YXT2TD5U.jpg?smart=true&auth=5430b2c078b3694be4a50b1536310f4191407d4599a2450e85b6253865c54f3d&width=400&height=225)
Qiddiya City is an entertainment development project to be established in Riyadh.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KGODUTCFLBSMEOJ73CZHJAIE6Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=1d96f677ff91acb72b6ffc02577c96e1e5decd5d28fcd3e4c4ca0daf7843a3b7&width=400&height=225)
The Twilight Gardens land at Six Flags Qiddiya. Courtesy Qiddiya
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Saudi women work on pots in a workshop in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/F7XBRFT76QCSQYVJZELH2QHIB4.jpg?smart=true&auth=b942b86c671489732b9d7d0b4661bf3b6b13251d58ef27c050f8cc669b4a0290&width=400&height=225)
Fish swim above a coral reef in the Red Sea offshore of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) near the city of Jeddah. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HMULSMI3PANLNTFXI7FQINJA44.jpg?smart=true&auth=697ad7f7df145bfc6cedeb0672642ba283be60c9246642c467ca82db2c90814d&width=400&height=225)
The Red Sea Project will turn untouched coastlines into one of Saudi Arabia's biggest tourism projects where conservation is key. Courtesy The Red Sea Development Company.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YB64OXS7EDI5ZAAKPNPDJRIPU4.jpg?smart=true&auth=c8d510e8a737e2eec9189cb022e8cf8ed12896bb4ffb9798f12fcc7053d6129c&width=400&height=225)
An illustration of the Amaala mega-project - one of a number of coastal and tourism schemes Saudi Arabia is developing under Vision 2030. Courtesy of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Natural Heritage
Five years on, Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 on path to free the kingdom from oil dependency
The kingdom has made drastic social and economic progress
![Mina Aldroubi](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F48481d72-67cc-4a04-b275-155199d827d0.png?smart=true&auth=96cfe1b4f5fdcd35f4d973dfd9dd3dc13e3b30b54a8e526b78eab5e8deef7736&width=70&height=70)
Mina Aldroubi
27 April, 2021
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