Saudi Arabia unveils $500 billion tourism project

Recent announcements have listed “Aquellum” among the various other tourist destinations located within the Gulf of Aqaba.

The $500 billion mega business and tourist project called NEOM has been well underway since they released a progress video in January 2023, marketing the futuristic resort. The latest progress video in October 2023 showcased real-world footage of the construction across the mega site.

The new mountain resort: Aquellum, is secluded within a 450-meter-high mountain rage, with NEOM describing it as an “experiential space embedded within the mountains”. So hidden, that visitors will have to enter the resort through a private underground canal after boarding a specifically designed vessel from the world’s first floating marina.

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This “incredible sensory journey” doesn’t end there. Once inside, visitors will be entranced within the courtyard space which spans from the water to the sky stretching 100 meters in an immersive vertical experience.

Along this vertical passageway visitors will have their choice from various apartments, hotel accommodations, leisure spaces or entertainment zones, filled with immersive art experiences, social spaces, events and dining options, all within this modern digitalised community. NEOM has outlined a space for innovators and creative thinkers alike called ‘The Generator’, filled with research labs where they offer “a platform where the future is reimagined”.

Guided by its unwavering commitment to crafting spaces in nature that epitomize the future of luxury, innovation and lifestyle” Visitors and residents can ascend to upper floors of this diverse society where they can access botanical views through rooftop gardens. This is accessible through an internal transit system which spans all through the resort which gains easy access to anywhere visitors or residents might choose.

NEOM has stated that Aquellum represents “a futuristic ecosystem that is harmoniously integrated into the natural surroundings, with its foundations steeped in cutting edge technology, avant-garde architecture and forward-thinking concepts”.

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Other tourist destinations located within the Gulf of Aqaba named alongside Aquellum include: Siranna the exclusive ‘tourism escape’, Leyja the new sustainable tourism destination featuring three boutique hotels, Epicon which will include residential beach villas, hotels with a lavish resort, Utamo, an art and entertainment destination for the world biggest artists, and lastly Norlana, a state of the art lifestyle community.

As well as Aquellum, NEOM continues to work on its other resorts and residencies which will all be powered by clean and entirely renewable energy. Notably ‘THE LINE’; a vertical city, as well as Oxagon business hub, Sindalah the luxury yachting destination and the mountain resort of Trojena.

Alarabiya