Partnership aims to increase tourist arrivals from UAE to AlUla by driving awareness
The historic destination is ready to receive up to 250,000 visitors in 2023
May 4, 2023; Dubai, UAE: The global heritage destination of AlUla in Saudi Arabia is increasingly attracting travellers from all around the globe, attracted by the historic landscape and diverse experiences available at the World’s Largest Living Museum. In 2022, 185,000 visitors came to AlUla, with 250,000 forecast for 2023.
In recognition of the vast potential of AlUla as a premium destination and its appeal to travellers in search of authentic experiences, Musafir.com has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Royal Commission of AlUla (RCU). The agreement, which aims to promote the destination to tourists from the UAE to AlUla, was signed at Arabian Travel Market 2023 between Melanie De Souza, Executive Director, Destination Marketing at RCU and Sachin Gadoya, CEO and Co-Founder of musafir.com.
Speaking about AlUla and the partnership with RCU, Gadoya said, “AlUla, the World’s Masterpiece, is one of the oldest cities in the Arabian Peninsula with massive tourism potential. The fact that it received close to 185,000 visitors in 2022 speaks volumes about the level of interest among tourists to explore this unique destination and its UNESCO World Heritage site. With Musafir.com’s expertise in travel planning and the Royal Commission for AlUla’s commitment to preserving the region’s heritage, this partnership promises to offer visitors a truly authentic experience of Saudi Arabia’s fascinating history and culture.”
Sachin added, “AlUla is ready to receive up to 250,000 visitors in 2023, the majority of which will come from neighbouring nations. As part of the agreement, musafir.com will promote holiday packages to AlUla with the objective of growing the profile of AlUla as a destination. Musafir.com will collaborate on various promotional and marketing initiatives to increase tourist arrivals.”
Melanie De Souza, Executive Director, Destination Marketing at RCU, said, “AlUla is a truly unique destination, representing over 200,000 years of largely unexplored human history and 7000 years of continuous human civilisation. From Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site to the ancient oasis and AlUla Old Town, recently recognised by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as one of the World’s Best Tourism Villages, to a vibrant arts and culture scene, world-class culinary experiences and a wide range of outdoor activities, AlUla has a broad appeal for visitors from all around the world. I am excited by the new partnership with Musafir.com, which will help us to reach our target visitor arrivals for 2023. Partnerships such as these will be instrumental in AlUla’s continued emergence as a world-class sustainable tourism destination that helps to nurture the long-term prosperity and growth of the region.”
Musafir.com has curated a range of all-inclusive packages for AlUla with flights, top-rated hotels, airport transfers, breakfast, visa assistance, and much more, allowing travellers to explore this new exotic destination with ease and zero hassle while helping them create unforgettable memories.
A land rich in historical, geological and geographical significance, this ancient city, once at the crossroads of the Incense Road, has only recently been re-discovered by the world. With breathtaking monuments from the past, AlUla offers numerous activities including zip lining, hiking, stargazing, and rock climbing, along with a fine appreciation of contemporary art, traditional handicrafts, and a vast and expansive desert with its unique rock formations, inscriptions, oasis valleys and much more.
About musafir.com
musafir.com is the UAE’s leading online travel agency. musafir.com was founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Thani and Sachin Gadoya in August 2007 to serve leisure customers, branching out into business travel in 2017. musafir.com has a presence across three countries: the UAE, Qatar & India. Offering flights to over 3,000 destinations, hotel stays at more than 1 million properties around the world, holiday experiences and much more, services provided by musafir.com include search & bookings on numerous flights and hotels, UAE tourist visa (application & assistance), international tourist visa assistance, and holiday packages. Since its inception, musafir.com has served over a million customers through our flagship website & branch network.
About The Royal Commission of AlUla
The most well-known and recognised site in AlUla is Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. A 52-hectare ancient city, Hegra was the principal southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and is comprised of more than 100 well-preserved tombs with elaborate facades cut out of the sandstone outcrops surrounding the walled urban settlement.
In addition to Hegra, AlUla is home to fascinating historical and archaeological sites such as Ancient Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms, which is considered one of the most developed 1st-millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula; thousands of ancient rock art sites and inscriptions at Jabal Ikmah; Old Town, a labyrinth of more than 900 mudbrick homes developed from at least the 12th century, and Hijaz Railway and Hegra Fort, key sites in the story and conquests of Lawrence of Arabia.
