Saudi Unveils Leyja: Yet Another Luxury Mountain Destination

Saudi Arabia’s futuristic NEOM super-city has announced another region. It is called Leyja, pitched as the $500 billion development’s sustainable and eco-tourism hub in the mountains. Leyja has no opening date or firm details on facilities, what we do know, so far, is that it will include three hotels.

The new tourism destination will start at the Gulf of Aqaba, winding up to the 400-meter-high mountains of NEOM, where the three hotels will perch. The three hotels, currently without operators, are called the Wellness Hotel, Oasis Hotel and Adventure Hotel, each with just 40 keys.

Planned to become another ultra-luxury project in the Public Investment Fund portfolio, Leyja will include high-end stores, helipads, and an array of fine-dining restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs.

With Saudi raising its previous 100 million visitors by 2030 target to 150 million, mega projects such as these are hoped to drive up tourism numbers and spending. Other projects include Soudah Peaks, Trojena, Red Sea and Diriyah.

Mountain Tourism in Saudi

Soudah Peaks is a project on the country’s highest peak, 3,015 meters above sea level, where various hotels, holiday homes, shops and restaurants will be built.

It is the second mountain tourism project of Mohammed bin Salman, who also greenlit Trojena, where Saudi Arabia plans to host the Asia Winter Games in 2029.

Soudah Peaks will be completed within a decade, housing 2,700 hotel keys and 1,336 residences, along with 80,000 square meters of commercial space. Soudah Peaks will have mansions, chalets, villas, resorts and boutique hotels, with phase one of the development given a 2027 finish line.

Mohammed bin Salman acts as chairman of the project’s development company, which Saudi Arabia says can add $7.7 billion to national GDP and generate thousands of jobs.