News

NEOM Unveils Zardun, A High-End Ecotourism Retreat

The project aims to further improve the ever-growing Saudi ecotourism market with an upscale sanctuary resort.

Published

3 years ago

January 25, 2024

Nour Nasir

NEOM

According to recent data from Savills, the global ecotourism sector is projected to experience an annual growth rate of 15% from 2021 to 2027. In alignment with that upward trend, NEOM, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious $500 billion urban development, has disclosed plans to build an upscale sanctuary resort.

The lavish retreat, known as Zardun, will be built on a four-square-kilometer site, offering breathtaking vistas of the Gulf of Aqaba. NEOM officials have also confirmed that Zardun will boast no fewer than three deluxe boutique hotels.

Zardun will be populated by indigenous flora and fauna from the mountains to the shores and provide educational programs and on-site initiatives dedicated to the preservation, conservation, and rejuvenation of nature.

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The site will be meticulously crafted to “blend harmoniously with the natural surroundings” as a further commitment to sustainable tourism. Additionally, Zardun will incorporate a 360-degree observation platform, affording guests unparalleled panoramas. Ecotourism pursuits available to visitors will include hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, stargazing, meditation, yoga, and more.

News

For etisalat, More Bandwidth Is A Matter Of Digital Sovereignty

The etisalat group plans to expand its international capacity from 20 Tbps to more than 500 Tbps by 2030, with new routes designed for speed and resilience.

Published

2 days ago

October 6, 2026

Nour Nasir

for etisalat, more bandwidth is a matter of digital sovereignty

Emirates News Agency

By 2030, etisalat group plans to lift its international connectivity capacity to more than 500 terabits per second (Tbps), more than 25 times the 20 Tbps it has today. The group presented the expansion as preparation for rising AI demand and an important move for the UAE’s digital sovereignty.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, witnessed the launch of the project, which covers the UAE and international markets. Sheikh Mansour is also Chairman of the Emirates Investment Authority, etisalat group’s main shareholder.

He emphasized the role of coordinated national efforts in advancing the UAE’s AI and digital economy ambitions. “AI is a central pillar in our development journey moving forward,” he said, adding that developing the country’s digital capabilities would empower every institution, public and private, to build and innovate with AI “at the scale the coming decade will demand”.

“This project reflects our conviction that the UAE should not simply adopt AI, but govern it and build with it,” said H.E Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of etisalat group. “That requires digital infrastructure at a scale that would prepare us for the future”. He cast greater international connectivity as a strategic answer to the challenges of processing and moving data globally.

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Beyond raw bandwidth, the expansion will introduce new connectivity routes intended to improve reliability and efficiency, and Alzaabi tied them directly to the sovereignty goal. “Delivered through diversified routes and low-latency design, the project is set to keep the country’s connection to the global digital economy fast, direct and resilient, while ensuring the UAE’s digital sovereignty,” he said.

He also linked the plan to the group’s 50-year commitment to building infrastructure for the nation. The announcement didn’t mention what the expansion will cost. Nor did it name the new routes or say who will build them, the details that would show what digital sovereignty means in practice.