A heritage site with over 200,000 years of history, Saudi Arabia’s AlUla is home to some of the world’s ancient cultural sites, sandstone mountains and oases.
However, the kingdom is currently is on the process of transforming the historic site into an international destination through the ‘Journey through Time’ masterplan – led by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The masterplan has made it more accessible for tourists to visit the site.
On completion, it will add to the Royal Commission for AlUla’s (RCU) goals of contributing at least $32 billion to the national GDP, opening 38,000 jobs by 2035.
“The masterplan directly contributes to the realisation of Vision 2030 by reinvigorating AlUla as a tourism destination and catalysing economic diversification in the region. Improving quality of life for residents, boosting employment opportunities, and accelerating the development of the region’s cultural and tourism infrastructure is built into the plan,” RCU said in a statement.
AlUla will also see five districts that span the historic area – AlUla Old Town, Dadan, Jabal Ikmah, Nabataean Horizon and Hegra Historical City.
The districts will be traversed by AlUla’s ancient oasis, with a nine-kilometre section at the heart of the Cultural Oasis being fully rejuvenated.
The historical site will also see 15 new cultural areas which include museums, galleries and cultural centres.
AlUla will also feature the Wadi of Hospitality, which connects the five districts by a 20-kilometre-long public realm.
Otherwise, the 22,500 square kilometre heritage site will also feature a 46-kilometre low-carbon tram line connecting the site to AlUla International Airport. Visitors can also travel by car or, if they prefer another immersive option, on foot, by bicycle, or even on horseback.
Moreover, the heritage site will add a total of 5,000 additional room keys to the overall target of 9,400 keys by 2035, with each district offering visitors a variety of living and hospitality options, ranging from hotels and eco-tourism resorts to luxury lodges and canyon farms that are carved into the sandstone rocks.
Follow us on
