It was announced this week that Saudi Arabia will host the Fifa World Cup in 2034.
The biggest event in football has historically been a leading driver of sports tourism. When Qatar hosted the event in 2022, the first Middle Eastern country to do so, more than one million tourists visited to attend a match.
In 2019, Saudi Arabia opened up for international tourists for the first time, and, alongside being the sole bidder for the sporting event, has continued to invest heavily in ambitious mega-developments ever since. And each of these developments and sporting wins is a part of the blueprint laid out for the country's future in Vision 30.
From the world's tallest building and stunning new coastal resorts to futuristic vertical cities and theme parks galore, here are some of the top mega-projects in the works.
AlUla: Ancient history and boundless nature
One of the first mega-projects in Saudi Arabia to welcome visitors was AlUla. Nestled in the north-west of the country, the area has become known for its fascinating history, natural landscapes and archaeological treasures.
Home to the first Unesco World Heritage Site in Saudi Arabia at Hegra, AlUla is also the kingdom's version of Petra given its Nabataean architecture with monumental structures and intricately carved tombs. The ancient lands here trace history back more than 7,000 years and visitors can see ancient open-air wall carvings at Jabal Ikmah.
With dramatic rock formations, AlUla's towering sandstone cliffs and canyons create memorable views and the AlUla Oasis is a place to cool off, even in the heat of summer. The Old Town has been restored and is now a bustling cultural space, featuring traditional mud-brick houses, shops and restaurants. AlUla is also a good pick for adventure travellers, with hiking, biking and more on offer. The destination has been busy establishing itself not only as a historical destination but also as a cultural one, with a host of international artists and festivals taking place at places like the Maraya Concert Hall.
At the heart of AlUla is Sharaan Nature Reserve, a 925 square kilometre protected space known for its dramatic landscapes, including towering sandstone cliffs, deep valleys and vast desert plains. Authorities are attempting to rewild this space and have already reintroduced a diversity of plant life and wildlife that once flourished here including more than half a million trees. A luxury resort designed by Jean Nouvel will open at the reserve, drawing inspiration from the surrounding landscapes of AlUla.
Travellers heading to AlUla have a choice of luxury accommodations, including the five-star Habitas AlUla and Banyan Tree AlUla. Plenty of development is still planned for AlUla, including the creation of a low-carbon tram line that will connect five districts across the region and follow a similar route to the ancient one running along the Hijaz Railway, which was used by pilgrims for hundreds of years. A journey-through-time museum showcasing the region's rich history is also in the works.
Qiddiya: Six Flags theme park and F1 race tracks
Dubbed the kingdom’s “capital of entertainment”, Qiddiya is a massive entertainment, sports and culture destination being developed in Riyadh. Poised to become a major tourist destination, the region spans more than 334 square kilometres and when complete, will have a mix of attractions ranging from a 20,000-seat clifftop stadium to a Formula One-standard racetrack.
Work has been underway on the $8 billion project since January 2019, and the first phase is due to open next year. There will be world-class theme parks including one from American theme park company Six Flags, known for housing the world's tallest drop ride. In Saudi Arabia, it will feature the world's longest, tallest and fastest rollercoaster. The world's first Dragon Ball theme park is also being constructed with seven themed zones inspired by the popular Japanese manga and anime series.
Qiddiya will also have an Aquarabia water park complete with the region's first surfing school, a futuristic arts centre that will host music and culture events and two championship golf courses.
Neom: The Line, Trojena and Sindalah Island
Perhaps the most talked about of all of Saudi Arabia's large-scale projects is Neom. This $500 billion high-tech destination is more than 35 times the size of Singapore and will have its own airport. Located in the country's north-west, Neom is actually made up of several ambitious projects including Sindalah Island, which opened to some visitors earlier this year. It is set to become the premium yachting destination in the Gulf and is home to world-class hotels, a golf course and a private marina.
The Line, on track to begin opening in phases from 2030, is a 170km-long vertical city that will be home to more than a million people. They will live in the car-free city interconnected by artificial intelligence and powered by renewable energy. It's being billed as a 20-minute city, meaning residents and visitors will be able to get anywhere within the district in no more than 20 minutes. It's due for completion in 2045.
Neom is also home to a slew of hospitality projects including Magna, a coastal region that will be all about coastal luxury living with world-class hotels dotted along the shorelines and Trojena, Neom's mountain destination being billed as the first place for winter sports in the Middle East.
Away from its futuristic and high-tech offerings, there's also time for nature. Neom's nature reserve spans 25,000 square kilometres and is home to a variety of native wildlife including Arabian oryx, sand gazelles, mountain gazelles, ibex and various bird species.
The Red Sea: Dark skies and scuba-diving
The Red Sea project is one of the kingdom's most impressive destinations. Located on the west coast of the country, it covers a vast area of approximately 28,000 square kilometres, including more than 90 pristine islands, 200km of coastline and diverse landscapes like deserts, mountains and volcanoes.
With its international airport, which opened last year, the Red Sea is easily reachable and visitors are already flocking here for a luxury travel experience. Six Senses Southern Dunes was the first resort to open and has since been joined by the St Regis Red Sea, Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Shebara Resort and, most recently, Desert Rock. It is a unique destination in a hidden valley, nestled between the mountains of the Red Sea and entirely solar-powered. Many more luxury resorts are due to open in the destination in the coming years.
Adventure is part of the framework with visitors able to scale dormant volcanoes, climb canyons and explore the region's unique marine life, including the fourth-largest barrier reef system in the world.
The Red Sea has also been crowned the world's largest certified Dark Sky Reserve. By implementing strict lighting regulations and minimising light pollution, visitors can enjoy unparalleled stargazing experiences. Developers plan for the Red Sea to become one of the world's most successful sustainable tourist resorts, with a zero-waste-to-landfill policy, 100 per cent carbon neutrality and a ban on single-use plastics. It is set to be fully completed by 2030.
Amaala: Luxury wellness powered by renewables
Part of the Red Sea project, Amaala is a wellness destination that has been billed as the Riviera of the Middle East. The development is geared towards those seeking luxury wellness and will consist of 1,800 hotel rooms and 900 private villas on the Red Sea coastline. Accessible via the Red Sea airport, it will be spread across three sites and the first phase of the project is set to launch next year when the Corallium Marine Life Institue, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to marine research and education, and the Amaala Yacht Club will open.
With a focus on sustainable tourism, the destination will be 100 per cent renewable powered and visitor numbers will be capped at 500,000 per year.
Hotels set to open at the destination include the Ritz-Carlton, Rosewood, Six Senses and Four Seasons. There will also be a Clinique La Praire Health Resort and a Jayasom Wellness Resort offering traditional Asian healing practices. When fully completed in 2030 there will be 29 resorts.
Ad Diriyah: Saudi Arabia's first capital
Known as the pearl of Saudi Arabia, Ad Diriyah is already welcoming tourists. The original seat of power of Saudi Arabia's Al Saud family is on the outskirts of Riyadh and is famed for its rich history. One of the highlights is Unesco-listed At-Turaif – a sprawling mud-brick capital city founded in the 15th century, with much influence owed to the Najdi architectural style of Arabia. In the mid-18th century, it spawned the dynasty of Al Saud, who had lived in Ad Diriyah since the 15th century. Today, At-Turaif has been redeveloped with museums, performance spaces and restored buildings.
Bujairi Terrace is also part of Ad Diriyah. This world-class dining destination opened in 2022 and quickly became one of the kingdom's hottest dining locations with views overlooking the Wadi Hanifah valley. Development is still ongoing in the region, and several luxury hotels are earmarked to open here, including upscale properties from Aman, Anantara and Armani.
Al Widyan: World's largest shopping district
Riyadh’s city within a city will become the capital’s cosmopolitan district. The mixed-use city and leisure destination in Riyadh’s northern growth corridor will be split into 12 districts, with more than 50 per cent of the land area dedicated to open space, anchored by a large Central Park formed around Al Widyan’s natural wadis.
The $2.7 billion development will be largely walkable and feature entertainment, leisure, retail and education facilities, as well as homes and offices. It will also be home to the world’s largest shopping and entertainment development, which is being developed at a cost of around $5 billion. In addition to shopping, the development will house theme parks, water parks and extensive dining options.
Record-breaking heights: Jeddah Tower
Construction of the 1km high Jeddah Tower is underway. The building will take the crown from Dubai's Burj Khalifa to become the world's tallest skyscraper upon completion in 2028. With more than 250 floors, Jeddah Tower will be a mix of residential units, serviced apartments and hotels, with a Four Seasons Hotel expected to open within. Overlooking the Red Sea, it will offer fantastic vantage points for visitors and residents.
Designed by Adrien Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the tower covers a floor space of 243,866 square metres, and will also be where visitors can take in the world's tallest observation deck 664 metres off the ground. Construction on the skyscraper was halted for more than eight years, but resumed in October this year. Formerly known as Kingdom Tower, the skyscraper first broke ground back in 2013 with an original completion date of 2020. And while the project is delayed, it's set to be an impressive feat when it is finished, standing at 150 metres higher than the Burj Khalifa.
On the move: Metro systems in Riyadh and Jeddah
Public transport is coming to Saudi Arabia in plenty of time for the 2034 World Cup. In Riyadh, the first metro lines are already operational on what will be one of the largest urban transport projects in the world, with six lines covering an area of 176km and 85 metro stations across the city. More lines are due to open in January and when the Riyadh Metro is fully complete, the network will be capable of carrying 400,000 passengers daily using driverless trains.
In the coastal city of Jeddah, a metro system is also in the works with four lines currently under development and several phases set to open next year. This includes linking the King Abdulaziz International Airport with the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, central Al Ruwais and Al Khozam. The full completion of the project is anticipated by 2030.
