Culture minister tours Saudi pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka    Al Ahli edges Al Ain 2-1, bolsters perfect start in AFC Champions League Elite    Saud Abdulhamid makes history as first Saudi player in Serie A    Saudi Cabinet to hold special budget session on Tuesday    King Salman orders extension of Citizen's Account Program and additional support for a full year    Al-Falih: 1,238 foreign investors obtain premium residency in Saudi Arabia    Irish PM apologizes for walking away from care worker    Several dead as Storm Bert wreaks havoc across Britain    Most decorated Australian Olympian McKeon retires    Adele doesn't know when she'll perform again after tearful Vegas goodbye    'Pregnant' for 15 months: Inside the 'miracle' pregnancy scam    Ukraine losing ground in Russia's Kursk region, says military source    Hezbollah fires rocket barrages into Israel after deadly Beirut strikes    Al Ittihad claims top spot in Saudi Pro League after victory over Al Fateh    Do cigarettes belong in a museum?    Saudi Arabia joins international partnership initiative to boost hydrogen economy    Riyadh Emir inaugurates International Conference on Conjoined Twins in Riyadh    Saudi Arabia to host 28th Annual World Investment Conference in Riyadh    Saudi Arabia allows licensed flour milling companies to export flour    Katy Perry v Katie Perry: Singer wins right to use name in Australia    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



AlUla re-opens in October
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 01 - 06 - 2020

RIYADH — As the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) continues to develop AlUla into a pre-eminent global tourism destination, it is the Saudi residents who will be the first visitors to experience the re-opening of one of the undiscovered wonders of the world.
In October this year, AlUa, an open-air museum in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, which includes the country's first UNESCO World Heritage site, will officially re-open and welcome visitors.
While some attendees of AlUa's Winter at Tantora annual arts festival have been granted access to the archeological sites in the event's first two years, now for the first time, AlUla's landmarks of unprecedented historical and cultural significance and its 250,000 years of human legacy will be accessible to all visitors all year round.
With a focus firmly on conservation and responsible tourism, since 2017 RCU has been transforming AlUla into a must-visit culture and heritage destination.
Visitors will be able to access the main heritage sites, cultural touring options and a range of adventure experiences.
Phillip Jones, Chief Destination Officer, RCU said, "With the rebound of the travel sector undoubtedly starting close to home, KSA residents within a drive or a short flight of AlUla will get a headstart on experiencing the raw, natural beauty and monumentality of landscapes in their backyard."
Overnight visitors can choose from five accommodation providers each with its own take on desert luxury. AlUla's accommodation stock is set to progressively increase to more than 9,400 rooms by 2035.
The four key heritage sites that visitors will now be able to access are, Hegra, an UNESCO World Heritage site since 2008; Dadan, probably one of the most developed 1st millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula; Jabal Ikmah, often referred to as the ‘Lihyanite library', offering insights to ancient beliefs, rituals and practices of every-day life; and Old Town, the ancient walled city of AlUla which has been at the crossroad of civilizations from the 12th century CE.
AlUla's immersive experiences will however extend beyond the heritage sites. Walks, treks and trails will be available -- both guided by the local Rawi (Arabic storyteller) or self-guided for visitors who want to delve deeper into the stories and customs of the region.
"We are developing immersive, light-touch experiences that harness the power and silence of the landscapes, experiences like guided stargazing in a desert night sky that has inspired science, religion, philosophy, art and literature for millennia."
Adventure tourists will also be catered for, whether it's tearing around the sandscapes in a desert buggy, or taking to the skies in a vintage light aircraft to see volcanic craters and key hole tombs in the lava fields of Harrat Khaybar.
For families, Hijrat Noura, or Princess Noura Farm, located close to Hegra offers a chance to get up close and personal with the local flora and fauna.
Winter Park, an experience developed for the Winter at Tantora festival will also make a comeback as a more permanent attraction offering a casual open-air atmosphere for food trucks and art installations.
After a day of sightseeing, visitors can stroll through the cool and sheltered oasis -- a green canopy of palm grove where the air is perfumed with the scent of dates, orange and mint grown nearby.
Dining options include local restaurants, many featuring produce sourced from nearby farms.
For the business tourism market, Maraya, a wonder of the architectural world, is a multi-use 500 seat events venue that is covered in 10,000 sq. metres of mirrors, reflecting the surrounding landscape. Maraya is scheduled to re-open in December 2020.
"A visit to AlUla is a transformative experience to all who have visited. Its vast open spaces, its secrets of civilisations gone by and the pure wonder of its landmarks – both old and new," said Jones.


Clic here to read the story from its source.