It may sound like something out of a Marvel movie, but mega-metropolises that claim to have mastered the perfect way of living – and holidaying – could soon entice travellers away from traditional holiday resorts.
In 2017, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman of Saudi Arabia outlined his futuristic vision for such cities in an ambition project called NEOM, and the Middle Eastern royal promptly began constructing a revolutionary ‘eco-city’, to the tune of £1.1trillion.
Eight years on, the plans have transformed part of the Red Sea coast of the country. NEOM is already a glossy mini city powered by 100 per cent renewable energy.
Despite stumbling blocks, recent months have seen the project hit by financial woes and the scale and scope of the city has been forced to be cut back, Neom has already provided a blueprint for other countries keen to create their own mega-cities.
Countries including Montenegro, Greece and Bhutan are among those focusing energies on developing these utopian urban spaces; vast hubs that aim to be totally self-sufficient thanks to the latest technological advances.
Indeed, more than a handful of them are already in the pipeline around the world – with each new one adding more innovation to the the original blueprint.
Whether or not these man-made destinations will actually change the tourism landscape remains to be seen – many argue they lack any authentic charm and are ‘too sterile’ to woo travellers to them.
Either way, they remain impressive feats of construction, architecture, eco-tourism and technology.
The original mega city: NEOM, Saudi Arabia
The Line, a core part of the NEOM project, is under development in Saudi Arabia
Nestled within the blank canvas desert environment of the Middle East, Saudi’s NEOM is the size of Belgium and already attracting a wave of expats from the UK.
According to its official website, NEOM ‘is a place that prioritises people and nature, creating a new model for sustainable living, working and prospering’.
It adds: ‘It is a place where humanity can progress without compromising the health of the planet.’
The crown jewel of the project was The Line, initially pitched as a city set to be hundreds of miles long that demonstrated the possibilities of the future.
According to NEOM’s chief operating officer Giles Pendleton: ‘Imagine then a whole city within a 500-metre tall and 200 metre-wide building, stretching 170 kilometers across the coast, desert and mountains of Northeast Saudi Arabia.
‘A place housing nine million people within 34 square kilometers. Well, that’s what we are building with The Line, the ultimate sidescraper.’
However the car-free ‘smart’ city has been subject to limitations and delays, and there have been mixed reports about the project, with many saying it has been cut down in size from the original vision.
Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
Ruins of Diriyah, the old city, located near Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. The 15th century UNESCO site is the setting for a $62.2billion mega-city development
Also part of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s Vision 2030 project for Saudi Arabia, Diriyah is a blend of ancient history and cutting-edge modernity.
Just 15 minutes from Riyadh, Diriyah is the home of the At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site, a 15th century preserved mud-brick city.
It’s also the setting for a $62.2billion development that promises to bridge old and new.
Designed to be a sustainable landmark, initiatives will focus on water conservation, energy efficiency, wellness, culture and heritage preservation, and climate change resilience.
More than 100,000 residents are expected to one day live there, with 38 hotels and resorts also currently under construction.
Gelephu Mindfulness City, Bhutan
Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City is designed to be an independent region
The king of Bhutan, the tiny kingdom bordering China and India, has unveiled his dream of creating Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), an urban oasis of mindfulness and prosperity.
GMC, the kingdom’s official website explains, ‘seeks to offer the world a different path of development, one where traditional Bhutanese values of spirituality and harmony with nature, blends with innovation, technology and economic vibrancy’.
Spanning more than 2,600 km² – five per cent of Bhutan overall, the GMC is a highly autonomous Special Administrative Region (SAR).
This means it has full executive and legislative powers, with an independent judiciary, to govern the region separately from the Royal Government of Bhutan, also under the direct guidance of the king.
The city will be powered by renewable energy sources, including hydropower, solar, and geothermal energy. It will develop hydropower plants that will provide clean and renewable energy for both GMC… and neighbouring India.
The Ellinikon, Greece
An area of the Ellinikon project, on the south Athens riviera
Meanwhile, in mainland Greece, the Ellinikon is an urban redevelopment initiative located on the historic grounds of the former Ellinikon International Airport in Athens.
It’s set to become a sustainable new city, with modern living areas, green spaces, and state-of-the-art technology.
Thanks to its location, the city will have panoramic views of the sea and sunsets gracing the Athens Riviera.
According to initial plans, Ellinikon will have contemporary residences, dynamic shopping districts, thriving business centres, entertainment venues, and tranquil retreats.
It is hoped the first phase of developments will be completed between 2027 to 2028.
New El-Alamein, Egypt
The new building project by the Mediterranean sea, New El-Alamein City
British tourists may love Sharm El Sheikh, the Egyptian resort town known for its luxurious hotels and magnificent golden sand beaches
However, if you want less all-inclusive and more all-futuristic, look ahead to New El-Alamein, a so-called ‘fourth-generation city’ on the coast.
New El-Alamein City, a £160million ‘megacity’, promises residential activities, cultural, tourist, industrial and research areas, a private university, international hotels and two presidential and cabinet buildings.
It’s set to have as many as 30,000 hotel rooms too, showing big tourism potential.
The city will cover an area of 50,000 acres on the Mediterranean coast and is planned to accommodate more than three million people.
Marassi Red Sea, Egypt
Marassi Red Sea provides luxury accommodation on Egypt’s coast
Egypt’s other key project, Marassi Red Sea, will span 2,426 acres on the shores of the Red Sea.
It will house world-class residences, luxury hotels, and a ‘lifestyle experience’ for both international and domestic markets.
When it comes to accommodation, there’s luxury villas, chalets and townhouses with flexible spaces to suit all needs.
A wide range of water and sports activities for adventure and sea lovers will also be present.
That’s in addition to world-class resorts and hotels offering premium hospitality services, fully integrated healthcare, educational opportunities, entertainment and commercial facilities and vast green areas including walking or jogging tracks.
Sazan Island, Albania
Sazan is an Albanian uninhabited island in the Mediterranean Sea
Once a military base, Sazan Island was sold to the Trump family earlier this year – with Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner spending more than $1billion on the island.
They will reportedly transform it into a luxury resort – but there’s much work to be done first.
It’s full of unexploded ordnance – bombs, shells, grenades or mines that failed to detonate during past conflicts.
Luštica Bay, Montenegro
Luštica Bay in Montenegro is an extremely photogenic travel destination
If you want picturesque, Montenegro’s contribution to the tourism mega-city landscape is hard to beat.
Luštica Bay, nestled within Montenegro’s breathtaking Boka Bay, has UNESCO-protected Boka Bay mountains as a backdrop.
Since its establishment in 2008, Luštica Bay has flourished into a thriving town with the prestigious Chedi Hotel, four serene beaches, 30+ retail spaces, sports courts, and a vibrant marina village.
With the future in mind, the town will accommodate 6,000 residents, featuring more than 3,000 apartments, 300 luxury sea-view villas, and six additional hotels.
Silk Road Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Silk Road Samarkand, located in Uzbekistan, is an international project
Uzbekistan has two projects in development at the moment – firmly solidifying the country’s status as an up-and-coming travel destination.
Silk Road Samarkand, the first international resort in Middle Asia, is a tourist centre with eight high-class hotels, an international congress center and 14 exquisite villas.
That’s as well as an artificial lake for fishing, public seating areas, parks, recreational and sports areas, unique restaurants, cafes, bars and significant cultural sites.
This project, ‘developed by leading international architects and engineers, combines various thematic areas into a single architectural ensemble that is unique for the entire Central Asian region’, according to its official website.
Eternal Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan’s Eternal Bukhara is set on a former trading hub on the ancient Silk Road
Uzbekistan has seen a boom in tourism as of late – and the country’s second offering is Eternal Bukhara, a development of a former trading hub on the ancient Silk Road.
It is a 33-hectare site on the edges of the old town on which a leisure complex called Eternal Bukhara will soon be built.
Plans are unclear, although initial reports in the local press described it as an ‘ethnographic park’ that would recreate traditional Uzbek buildings.
They said there would also be restaurants serving Uzbek cuisine and a museum about Uzbek culture.
However, as reported by the BBC, projected images suggest it could have a more modern feel.
Amaravati, India
Indian Future City Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh
When Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh was first proposed, the future looked bright – a forward-looking ‘Smart City’, in line with with India’s sustainability goals and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.
But it has been subject to many delays, and the plans are uncertain.
As of 2025, Amaravati’s future continues to evolve, with calls to focus on the project and bring it to life.
Smart Forest City, Mexico
The Smart Forest City, Mexico is a green-focused eco project
The Cancun Smart Forest City project covers 557 hectares and will be able to host up to 130,000 inhabitants.
The main focus? Sustainability.
With new large parks, garden roofs and green façades, ‘the design of the new Forest City includes a high-tech innovation campus where university departments, organisations, laboratories and companies will work on a global level to resolve the major issues of environmental sustainability and the future of the planet’, it has been reported.
There will also be research and development centres intended to host students and researchers from leading top institutions worldwide.
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