Saudi Arabia pitches US$135m Madinah Ferris wheel to private sector

Saudi Arabia has unveiled plans for Hijaz Eye, a proposed SAR511 million (US$135 million) Ferris wheel in Madinah, as it seeks private sector backing for one of the kingdom’s latest tourism developments. Planned on a 33,700-square-metre site, the attraction is expected to become a new landmark overlooking the holy city while supporting Saudi’s efforts to broaden its tourism offering beyond religious sites.

The attraction is designed to enrich the visitor experience by adding a new leisure attraction for pilgrims and tourists visiting Madinah, and joins more than 2,200 investment opportunities currently being promoted through Invest Saudi. 

The development forms part of Saudi’s broader ‘Umrah Plus’ strategy, which encourages pilgrims to extend their stays by combining religious travel with cultural, heritage and leisure experiences. The initiative supports the kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambitions to increase tourism’s contribution to the economy while encouraging greater private sector participation in destination development.

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According to the Ministry of Tourism (MoT), Saudi welcomed 14 million international visitors for religious purposes in 2025, making religious tourism the kingdom’s largest inbound travel segment. Domestic religious travel also remained strong, with around 14 million Saudi residents travelling for religious purposes, including 6.5 million visits to Madinah.

Other upcoming tourism developments in Madinah include the Rua Al Madinah project, which will add hotels, retail, restaurants and public spaces around the Prophet’s Mosque, as well as the Islamic Civilisation Village, a new cultural destination showcasing the history and heritage of Islamic civilisations.

Elsewhere in the kingdom, new attractions include Six Flags Qiddiya City, the first Six Flags park outside North America, and Aquarabia, Saudi’s largest water park. Future projects in the pipeline are the Dragon Ball theme park and Mercedes-AMG World of Performance at Qiddiya City.

For more information, visit www.investsaudi.sa