Why does Saudi Arabia build new cities?
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is one of the most urbanized countries in the world, where the migration of people to the largest cities occurred very early. Vision 2030 identified several large urban projects, which in the future should transform Saudi economy and ecosystems. First of all, the NEOM project - the "city of technologies", a centre of technological development, with a total investment of up to $500 billion. It will probably be the first metropolis in the world with a population of 1 million, built in such a short period of time. NEOM could become a global testing ground for working out all the technologies associated with such projects, since there are only few alternatives in China and, possibly, India. In addition, KSA is planning to invest in a huge resort area on the Red Sea coast. In fact, it is going to be a new world centre of global tourism, which will be larger than the Egyptian projects in Sinai and on the African coast of the Red Sea, providing recreational opportunities for the entire European Union. Finally, there is the Qiddiya project - a new sports and cultural centre for the Riyadh megalopolis. This project was launched in April 2018 one year later than the other two projects however its importance is no less than Neom and on the resort area on the Red Sea coast. Qiddiya is considered as the future driver of the cultural transformation of society in Saudi Arabia, being aimed at young people and women.