HAIL, SAUDI ARABIA, November 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Mohamed Abdelwahed Al-Zayyat
The city of Hail, in northern Saudi Arabia, is strengthening its presence on the map of smart and sustainable cities through an exceptional urban transformation that brings together infrastructure development, the humanisation of public spaces, improved services, and the creation of an investment-friendly environment.
According to data released by the Hail Region Municipality, the city has received 24 local and international awards from the beginning of 2024 through the third quarter of 2026. It has also recorded advanced performance indicators in beneficiary satisfaction, licensing speed, and the regular implementation of projects.
This transformation is being driven by the support of the Saudi leadership and the oversight of the Saudi Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, within the framework of the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. It is underpinned by a strategy that places people at the centre of development and harnesses technology to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and the city’s attractiveness as a destination for tourism and investment. As a result, Hail has achieved unprecedented development milestones, positioning it among the cities making the fastest progress towards realising Saudi Vision 2030.
International Recognition
Hail ranked 33rd out of 148 cities in the 2026 Smart City Index, issued by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), which measures the impact of infrastructure, technology, and services on daily life from the perspective of residents.
The Hail Region Municipality also secured first place in the Arab Green City Award for 2024–2025, as part of the fifteenth edition of the Arab Towns Organization awards, the results of which were announced in 2026. Its achievements also included the Civilisational Communication Award for the “If I Were in Your Place” initiative, as well as second place among Saudi municipalities in documentary maturity, with a score of 92%.
People-Centred Spaces
The humanisation of the city is reflected in making its public spaces more conducive to walking and community interaction. This is exemplified by the Central District Project, which covers an area of more than 750,000 square metres and includes 12 kilometres of pedestrian walkways, 6 kilometres of cycling paths, and 3,000 trees.
The project features an open-air theatre covering 13,000 square metres, interactive fountains spanning 12,000 square metres, and 1,500 parking spaces, in addition to commercial facilities, restaurants, cafés, and event spaces, thereby supporting tourism and commercial activity and creating opportunities for entrepreneurship.
At the city level, the score for the indicator measuring accessibility to public spaces within an 800-metre radius reached approximately 76%, while the per capita share of green spaces stood at 13.61 square metres, according to the Municipality’s data.
Rising Satisfaction Levels
Customer experience surveys recorded a satisfaction rate of 100% with parks, public squares, road services, and the Municipal Complaints Centre, while satisfaction with public cleanliness reached 99%.
The Municipality also ranked first among Saudi municipalities in the satisfaction survey on efforts to address visual pollution in the third quarter of 2026, achieving a satisfaction rate of 86%, compared with 64% in the first quarter of 2023. This represents an increase of 22 percentage points, reflecting an improvement in residents’ assessment of the urban landscape.
An Investment-Friendly Environment
With regard to business-related services, the average time required to issue licences was two days, compared with a target of 10 days, representing an 80% reduction against the target timeframe. The Municipality supports this approach through the “Itmam Comprehensive Centre” for monitoring licensing procedures, as well as a specialised department responsible for following up on investors’ cases and facilitating procedures.
The Municipality recorded zero delayed projects among those subject to monitoring. Meanwhile, its partnerships with the private sector have expanded to include the development of parks, streets, and roundabouts, thereby strengthening private-sector participation in urban development.
Smart Oversight
During the first half of 2026, the Municipality conducted more than 80,000 inspection visits, of which 73,707 were recorded as compliant visits. Regulatory inspection coverage reached 100% of the licences targeted for quarterly inspection.
These efforts are supported by an integrated monitoring and control system that harnesses artificial intelligence for field monitoring, alongside digital tools for tracking performance and corrective action plans. In this way, Hail brings together administrative efficiency and the attractiveness of its urban environment, translating development objectives into faster services and more expansive spaces for living, working, and investment.
Hail
Hail Region Municipality
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Media gallery
