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NEOM Announces ‘Epicon’ Luxury Coastal Tourism Destination on Gulf of Aqaba

Located on the Gulf of Aqaba, Epicon aims to set a new standard of hospitality and architecture. (SPA)
Located on the Gulf of Aqaba, Epicon aims to set a new standard of hospitality and architecture. (SPA)
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NEOM Announces ‘Epicon’ Luxury Coastal Tourism Destination on Gulf of Aqaba

Located on the Gulf of Aqaba, Epicon aims to set a new standard of hospitality and architecture. (SPA)
Located on the Gulf of Aqaba, Epicon aims to set a new standard of hospitality and architecture. (SPA)

The Board of Directors of NEOM, the sustainable regional development taking shape in northwest Saudi Arabia, announced on Wednesday Epicon, its latest luxury coastal tourism destination, including a residential offering.

Located on the Gulf of Aqaba, Epicon aims to set a new standard of hospitality and architecture. Rising from NEOM’s desert landscape like a glistening mirage, the property will feature two striking towers, one 225 meters tall and one reaching 275 meters.

The towers will be home to an ultra-premium 41 key hotel and luxury residences comprised of 14 suites and apartments. A short distance from the hotel is the Epicon resort, which blends tranquility with indulgence and features 120 rooms and 45 stunning residential beach villas.

Designed as a gateway to the future, Epicon provides an opportunity to escape the stresses of everyday life. Whether relaxing at the beach club, visiting the spa for bespoke wellness treatments, exploring the surrounding nature, participating in one of the many watersports on offer, or dining at destination restaurants for an unforgettable culinary experience, Epicon has been conceived to meet the full array of guest and resident needs.

A highly attractive visitor destination and an optimum place to live and thrive, Epicon’s guests and residents can expect a truly immersive and life-affirming experience. The luxurious residences and beach villas aim to deliver new levels of livability through cutting-edge innovations, world-class services and first-class experiences, positioning the resort as a benchmark for iconic living.

Guests and residents of Epicon will enjoy unrestricted access to world-class facilities, complemented by views of one of the most desirable shorelines in NEOM. Amenities include a state-of-the-art gym, library, workspaces, pools and lounges.

News of Epicon follows the recent announcement of Leyja, NEOM’s sustainable tourism destination set within a magnificent natural valley. The extensive range of experiences and activities offered in Epicon and Leyja will strengthen and enrich the NEOM ecotourism offering, aligned with the broader objectives of the Kingdom.

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Business

Airbus Says Middle East Regional Aircraft to More Than Double by 2044

Airbus logo is seen in this illustration taken, March 10, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Airbus logo is seen in this illustration taken, March 10, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
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Airbus Says Middle East Regional Aircraft to More Than Double by 2044

Airbus logo is seen in this illustration taken, March 10, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Airbus logo is seen in this illustration taken, March 10, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Airbus expects the Middle East's regional aircraft fleet to more than double to 3,700 planes by 2044, an official said on Sunday.

The European planemaker expects passenger traffic in the Middle East to grow at a compound annual rate of 4.4% over the next two decades, Airbus Head of Marketing in Africa and the Middle East Grainne van den Berg told a press conference.

Airbus also expects the services market in the region to double to $29.9 billion by the end of 2044, van den Berg added, Reuters reported.

The forecast came ahead of the Dubai Airshow, the largest Middle East aviation event taking place on November 17-21.

Airbus, which is among the planemakers taking part as it vies for orders with its main competitor Boeing, predicts widebody aircraft will make up 42% of total demand in the region by 2044, representing the highest share globally.

"The Middle East is transforming global aviation, and the forecast fleet expansion is truly significant, particularly when it comes to widebodies," said Airbus President in Africa and Middle East Gabriel Semelas.

"This region is becoming the long-haul hub now and into the future," Semelas added.

Business

Gulf Leadership in Artificial Intelligence Spurs Lebanon’s Private Sector

Lebanon ranks 82nd globally in the 2024 Government AI Readiness Index (Lebanon AI Conference)
Lebanon ranks 82nd globally in the 2024 Government AI Readiness Index (Lebanon AI Conference)
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Gulf Leadership in Artificial Intelligence Spurs Lebanon’s Private Sector

Lebanon ranks 82nd globally in the 2024 Government AI Readiness Index (Lebanon AI Conference)
Lebanon ranks 82nd globally in the 2024 Government AI Readiness Index (Lebanon AI Conference)

Lebanon is joining the global artificial-intelligence wave, albeit with limited resources and mostly private initiatives, at a time when Gulf states are leading the region in deploying AI to boost national economies.

Expectations point to long-term, exceptional growth in this promising sector, which is attracting sizable investments aimed at modernizing societies and enhancing performance across both productive sectors and public services.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, AI specialist Hilda Maalouf noted that Gulf governments and private industries are moving in tandem to integrate AI across their systems.

She highlighted the region’s strong readiness, supported by major government-backed investments in advanced technologies and fast-expanding data-center infrastructure, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Lebanon, by contrast, faces deep structural hurdles, especially in the public sector. Still, Maalouf, an Oxford-certified AI expert, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the country retains a dynamic private sector and high-caliber talent striving to stay competitive in IT and AI, despite crippling power outages and a weak internet network that has stalled the rollout of 5G.

According to Omar Hallak, partner and head of the public-sector practice at global data and AI consultancy Artefact, the Gulf’s ambitious national strategies have put it far ahead of other regional countries.

Readiness rankings confirm this: the UAE ranks 13th globally in the 2024 Government AI Readiness Index, followed by Saudi Arabia (22nd) and Qatar (32nd). Lebanon stands at 82nd worldwide.

These disparities, Hallak explained, reflect the widening gap between Gulf economies -now reaping the rewards of sustained tech investment - and countries like Lebanon, whose digital infrastructure and economic crises continue to hinder progress. Despite strong local talent and emerging startups, Lebanon’s AI transition remains slow due to limited government support and weak investment.

Gulf states have forged strategic partnerships with global tech giants such as Microsoft and OpenAI, attracting major cloud-computing providers to build advanced infrastructure.

Their remaining challenge is a shortage in national technical skills, where Lebanon, ironically, excels. Yet Lebanon continues to lose talent to migration while lacking the infrastructure to retain it.

Most Gulf strategies now focus on attracting global experts in data science and AI, in addition to training local citizens. Saudi Arabia aims to train 20,000 specialists by 2030, while leading universities, including King Saud University and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, are expanding AI programs.

Economically, AI is expected to add $260 billion to Gulf economies by 2030, with Saudi Arabia alone projected to gain $135 billion (12.4% of GDP) and the UAE about $96 billion (13.6%). The World Economic Forum reports that Gulf economic prospects already outpace global averages, driven by technological transformation.

According to analysts, AI adoption will enhance productivity, reduce bureaucracy and corruption, and stimulate public–private partnerships. Gulf states are particularly well-positioned in finance, energy, health care, and education. In Lebanon, AI’s most promising impact lies in service-based sectors such as tourism, transport, finance, education, and health.

Hallak added that sectors rich in data, including public services, finance, energy, manufacturing, and telecommunications, will be the primary drivers of AI adoption across the region, especially in economies where energy and natural resources remain central to growth.

Business

Hyundai Motor Announces $86 Bln Investment in South Korea after US Trade Deal

FILED - 10 January 2017, US, Detroit: A Hyundai logo is seen at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan. Photo: Uli Deck/dpa
FILED - 10 January 2017, US, Detroit: A Hyundai logo is seen at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan. Photo: Uli Deck/dpa
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Hyundai Motor Announces $86 Bln Investment in South Korea after US Trade Deal

FILED - 10 January 2017, US, Detroit: A Hyundai logo is seen at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan. Photo: Uli Deck/dpa
FILED - 10 January 2017, US, Detroit: A Hyundai logo is seen at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan. Photo: Uli Deck/dpa

Hyundai Motor Group will invest 125.2 trillion won ($86.47 billion) in South Korea from 2026 to 2030, the automaker said on Sunday after Seoul finalized a trade deal reducing US tariffs on South Korean autos to 15% from 25%.

That compares with investments by Hyundai Motor and its group affiliate Kia Corp of 89.1 trillion won from 2021 to 2025, according to the group.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met with Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung and other business leaders on Sunday, two days after details were released on the trade deal, which includes South Korea's promise to invest $350 billion in US strategic sectors.

"We are well aware of concerns about exports declining and domestic production shrinking due to US tariffs of 15%," Chung said after the meeting, Reuters reported.

"We will diversify export markets, increase exports from domestic factories and more than double auto exports through new electric-vehicle factories by 2030," Chung said, adding that the group will also provide support to auto parts makers hit by President Donald Trump's tariffs.

Of Hyundai's domestic investments, 50.5 trillion won ($35 billion) will be in AI and other future business opportunities, 48.4 trillion won in research and development, and 36.2 trillion won on optimizing production facilities and building a skyscraper, the group said.