Saudi Arabia has announced a $704 million development plan for a heritage island

Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, has declared the approval of a development strategy for the 120,000-person-strong Darin and Tarout Island as well as the formation of a new development corporation for the island.

Following a Council of Ministers’ decision, Prince Mohammed has allocated approximately SR2.64 billion with the goal of improving the quality of life and developing the GDP by capitalizing on the island’s comparative advantages in heritage, environment, and tourism in a manner that contributes to economic diversity.

The Darin and Tarout Development Corporation’s development strategy for the 32 square km island involves identifying the island’s comparative and competitive benefits in accordance with three key pillars: protecting the island’s cultural and historical heritage, reviving its natural and environmental assets, improving quality of life, and boosting its tourism industry.

Over 19 qualitative initiatives have been created in order to accomplish the development plan’s objectives for the island.

According to the report, the Darin castle and airport would be promoted as heritage tourist destinations, as well as staging various cultural and history festivals on the island and building multiple pedestrian routes that travel across the island’s heritage locations.