NEOM is a new region under development in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, on the Red Sea coast. Announced in October 2017 at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, it is a flagship of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification program. The region spans roughly 26,500 square kilometres in the Tabuk Province, an area larger than the country of Belgium.
The name combines the Greek word neo (new) with the letter M, the first letter of the Arabic word mustaqbal, meaning future. NEOM is owned by the Public Investment Fund and is organised as a closed joint stock company.
At a glance
- Location: Tabuk Province, northwest Saudi Arabia, with frontage on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba, bordering Jordan and facing Egypt across the Strait of Tiran.
- Size: Approximately 26,500 km².
- Owner: Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
- Announced: October 24, 2017.
- Headline budget: USD 500 billion.
- Climate zones: Mediterranean coast, alpine mountains in the Sarawat range, desert interior.
- Vision 2030 alignment: One of the giga-projects supporting Saudi Arabia’s diversification away from oil.
What NEOM includes
NEOM is a region, not a single city. It contains multiple branded destinations, each with a different purpose, master plan, and target audience.
The Line
The Line is the headline urban component of NEOM. It is planned as a 170-kilometre linear city, 200 metres wide and 500 metres tall, formed by two parallel mirrored skyscrapers running through the desert. The design pairs car-free pedestrian streets with a high-speed underground transit corridor and 100 percent renewable energy operations.
Trojena
Trojena is the mountain destination of NEOM, in the Sarawat range at elevations between 1,500 and 2,600 metres. Built around a man-made freshwater lake, it is designed for year-round outdoor recreation, including skiing on natural and machine-made snow. Trojena will host the 2029 Asian Winter Games.
Sindalah
Sindalah is a luxury island resort in the Red Sea, off the NEOM coast. It opened in October 2024 as the first NEOM destination to welcome paying guests. The island features a yacht marina, three hotels, a beach club, restaurants by international chefs, and a vibrant retail promenade.
Oxagon
Oxagon is the industrial and port city of NEOM, located on the Gulf of Aqaba. It is being developed as a floating octagonal city dedicated to advanced manufacturing, port logistics, and research and development. Oxagon hosts the NEOM Green Hydrogen Company plant, a joint venture with Air Products and ACWA Power.
Magna
Magna is the coastal tourism cluster of NEOM along the Gulf of Aqaba. It includes several distinct destinations, each with its own architectural identity: Epicon, Siranna, Utamo, Leyja, Aquellum, Norlana, Xaynor, and others, all targeting different segments of the luxury travel market.
Geography and climate
NEOM sits at a unique meeting point of three climate systems. The Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba coastline offers warm Mediterranean conditions, with year-round swimming and diving. The Sarawat mountains inland rise high enough to receive winter snowfall. The interior plateau is true desert. The region also contains coastal wetlands and coral reef systems that NEOM has committed to protect under a conservation framework.
The proximity to Jordan, Egypt, and Israel positions NEOM within reach of major historic and tourism markets. Cairo, Petra, and Jerusalem are short flights away.
Vision 2030 context
NEOM is the most visible asset of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s strategic plan launched in 2016 to diversify the economy. Vision 2030 sets out goals for new industries including tourism, advanced manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy, and entertainment, and for expanding the role of the private sector. NEOM is intended to host pilot zones for several of these industries and to serve as a proving ground for new urban, transport, and energy concepts.
Alongside NEOM, Vision 2030 includes other giga-projects such as the Red Sea Project (now called The Red Sea), Diriyah Gate, Qiddiya, and AlUla, each with its own focus and master plan.
Funding model
NEOM’s headline budget of USD 500 billion is funded through three streams.
- Public Investment Fund equity. PIF is the sole equity holder of NEOM Company and the principal source of funding through the early development phase.
- External investment. NEOM has marketed itself to sovereign wealth funds, private equity, real estate developers, and corporate partners. Several anchor partnerships have been announced, including with industrial, hospitality, and technology companies.
- Future capital markets activity. NEOM Company has been discussed as a candidate for a future public listing, with the timing yet to be confirmed.
Timeline
A condensed timeline of public NEOM milestones.
- 2016: Vision 2030 announced.
- October 2017: NEOM publicly announced at the Future Investment Initiative.
- 2018: First master plans circulated to international design and engineering consultants.
- 2019: NEOM Company established as a closed joint stock company under PIF.
- January 2021: The Line concept publicly unveiled.
- July 2022: Updated The Line design released, featuring the mirrored skyscraper concept.
- October 2022: Trojena selected to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games.
- October 2024: Sindalah opens to guests.
- 2026: Active development continues across all destinations, with phased openings planned through the decade.
What is open today
As of 2026, several NEOM elements are operational.
- Sindalah receives guests at its hotels, marina, and beach club.
- NEOM Bay Airport has been operating since 2019, serving the project workforce and selected commercial routes.
- NEOM Bay community houses many of the staff and partners working across the project.
Other destinations are at varying stages of construction, with phased openings expected over the coming years.
NEOM and tourism
NEOM is positioned to become one of the world’s premier tourism regions, combining beach, mountain, desert, and cultural travel within a single destination. Sindalah introduces the luxury beach segment, Trojena will introduce mountain and winter sports, and the Magna cluster brings a portfolio of design-led resort experiences. The Red Sea coast also offers some of the world’s best diving, with extensive coral reef systems.
NEOM and sustainability
NEOM is designed around renewable energy operations and protected natural areas. The Green Hydrogen Company plant at Oxagon will be among the largest in the world when fully online. NEOM has also announced commitments to coral reef restoration, mangrove planting, and the protection of native wildlife corridors. The project is targeting LEED Platinum and similar sustainability certifications across its operations.
Where to learn more
This guide is one in a series. Related articles on this site cover The Line, Trojena, Sindalah, Oxagon, Magna, the 2029 Asian Winter Games, Vision 2030 context, and jobs at NEOM.
The official NEOM website is neom.com. Detailed reporting on NEOM appears in Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Reuters, and other publications of record.
Sources cited
This article draws on public NEOM Company announcements, Public Investment Fund disclosures, the official Saudi Vision 2030 documentation, and reporting from international media of record. Corrections and source additions are welcome.