- New announcements on airline connections and luxury hotel partnerships
- Visitor numbers expected to rise to 250,000 this year from 185,000 last year
AlUla is participating in Arabian Travel Market 2023 in Dubai, where it will share its progress as an emerging global destination noted for its outstanding cultural and natural heritage and announce a host of new partnerships set to boost its premium hospitality offering.
Details will also be shared about the imminent expansion of AlUla’s international network. Royal Jordanian is set to add two direct flights a week from Amman to AlUla, starting from Friday, 22nd September 2023, which will increase connectivity to AlUla from key GCC locations, which currently include Dubai and Cairo. International visitors can fly direct from Paris in the peak season, or connect via direct domestic routes from Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.
Also launching soon is the Experience AlUla Destination APP for smart phones, the exciting new guide in your pocket to AlUla. The app helps users make the most of their trip by providing information on everything to explore in AlUla, landmarks, arts, and entertainment venues. It offers 360 AR virtual tours, booking options for experiences like concerts, festivals, classes, and tours, as well as complete listings of must-see sites, hotels, and restaurants. The app also features an interactive map of AlUla and events and festivals throughout the year. Users can access existing bookings directly from the app. The app will be available from May onwards.
AlUla welcomed 185,000 visitors in 2022 and is forecasting 250,000 for 2023. Late last year, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) recognised AlUla Old Town as one of the world’s Best Tourism Villages. And in January 2023, Condé Nast Traveller named AlUla as one of the Seven Wonders of the World for 2023.
The RCU stand at ATM will be located at Hall 4, Stand #3450 in the Dubai World Trade Centre, in close proximity to other Saudi entities, including the Saudi Tourism Authority and Red Sea Global. Led by Phillip Jones, Chief Tourism Officer for AlUla, the delegation and attending partners look forward to connecting with trade partners and airlines to discuss potential opportunities for collaboration. Partners with a presence at the stand include hotels and adventure tour operators, such as Banyan Tree, Habitas, Shaden, Cloud7, and Warrior, in addition to the multi-purpose events venue, Maraya, distinguished by its façade of 9,740 square metres of custom-designed mirror glass that reflects the spectacular ancient landscape of Hegra, the Kingdom’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
RCU’s dedicated microsite for ATM, including delegation contact details and an online brochure, is available at www.experiencealula.com/en/ATM-2023.
