The Public Investment Fund-owned Soudah Development Company has signed a comprehensive planning framework agreement with global professional-services firm WSP that will set out the spatial strategy for the entire Soudah Peaks region — spanning about 636.5 square kilometres in Saudi Arabia’s Aseer region.
According to the agreement, the framework will define land-use zones, infrastructure systems, transportation links, heritage and environmental protections, hospitality and residential clusters, and community development. It aims to deliver a “flexible and responsive spatial strategy” to transform Soudah and parts of Rijal Almaa into a sustainable luxury tourism destination.
The ultimate vision for Soudah Peaks is to offer high-end mountain hospitality, residences and lifestyle amenities at one of Saudi Arabia’s highest elevations (over 3,000 m). It reflects the Kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 agenda to expand tourism, diversify the economy and unlock new regional visitor-economies beyond traditional urban centres.
By leveraging global design expertise and rigorous planning, Soudah Development is positioning the region to host luxury resorts, cultural-heritage experiences, outdoor adventure sports, wellness hospitality and residential offerings — all rooted in the Aseer region’s natural landscapes and local community heritage. The project emphasises environmental integrity: less than 1 % of the total landmass is allocated for built footprint, showing a strong commitment to safeguarding the natural terrain.
As the project enters this next phase of planning certainty, strategic partnerships like the one with WSP mark a key transition from conceptual master-planning to detailed implementation and infrastructure rollout. Observers say the move signals increasing investor and market confidence in Soudah Peaks’ potential role as Saudi Arabia’s first luxury mountain tourism brand.
