Saudi Arabia's $500bn NEOM project has unveiled Sindalah, its first physical development, marking a significant milestone in the kingdom's push to transform its tourism sector and diversify its economy, local blog Nemnna reported on October 27, citing official media.

Officials said that the 840,000-square-metre island destination, located five kilometres off NEOM's Red Sea coastline, represents a major step in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 economic reform agenda.

The development, which took two years to complete and employed up to 30,000 workers at its peak, aims to welcome 2,400 visitors daily by 2028 and create approximately 3,500 jobs in the tourism sector.

"This is the gateway to the Red Sea," NEOM Chief Executive Nadhmi Al-Nasr told Reuters. "The realisation of this landmark destination is a testament to the visionary leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman."

The island features an 86-berth marina designed by Italian yacht architect Luca Dini, with facilities including a Stefano Ricci-designed yacht club. Accommodation includes 440 hotel rooms, 88 villas and 218 serviced apartments, 38 restaurants and a par-70 golf course.

Environmental conservation has been central to the development, with the surrounding waters home to 1,100 fish species and over 300 coral species, according to NEOM officials.

The project aims to attract European and Gulf yacht owners, being positioned 17 hours by sea from key Mediterranean destinations.

Earlier in June, Saudi Arabia unveiled another luxurious resort destination called Nujuma. The Ritz-Carlton Reserve opened on a remote island in the Red Sea, with nightly rates starting at SAR9,900 (around $2,630).

The high prices are directly targeted at the wealthy Gulf vacationers and wealthy East Asians, who are open to the country’s new resorts being dry locations, as alcohol is still banned even offshore currently.  

In May,  NEOM announced it would operate a fleet of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, dubbed "green air taxis", as part of its ambition to build a traffic and pollution-free urban landscape, Al Eqtesadieh reported on May 26.

NEOM has been working with German firm Volocopter since 2021 on a joint venture to deploy Volocopter's eVTOL models - the VoloCity for intracity air taxi services, the VoloRegion for intercity flights within NEOM's regions, and the VoloDrone for cargo transport.