RIYADH: AlUla’s rise as a tourist destination has been boosted with national flag carrier Saudia increasing its connectivity to the ancient city from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam to eight flights a week.
Saudia Vice President of Passenger Sales Manal Al-Shehri and RCU Vice President of the Marketing and Management Office Rami Al-Moallim signed the agreement on Nov. 6 at the World Travel Market event in London.
Commenting on the deal, Al-Shehri said that her company is a strategic partner of the RCU in supporting efforts to attract tourists to the Kingdom, both locally and internationally.
She added that the agreement marks a progressive stride in strategic cooperation, especially following the launch of the airline’s new brand focused on embedding Saudi culture and identity into its products and services.
Al-Moallim also said that the collaboration represents a continuation of several significant partnerships established by the RCU with the airline over recent years.
He stressed Saudia’s pivotal role in advancing AlUla’s reputation as a tourist destination and its continuous efforts to support the city’s tourism sector by facilitating travel for visitors from important domestic and international locations.
Al-Moallim further highlighted the airline’s active promotion of AlUla’s rich cultural and historical heritage, positioning it as a unique global destination.
“Furthermore, it has played an integral role in various promotional campaigns launched by the RCU to increase the number of visitors to this tourist destination, aiming to receive 250,000 visitors by the end of 2023 and 292,000 visitors by the end of 2024,” he added.
As part of its strategic partnership with the RCU, Saudia launched its first polo team comprising three players who participated in the Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo Tournament held in February 2022.
“This endeavor served as a testament to Saudia’s commitment to advancing the tourism and sports sectors in the Kingdom,” the company said.
AlUla, a town divided by its geography, spans a 10 km stretch in a narrow valley surrounded by mountains, situated just 20 km south of Hegra. In 2008, Hegra was recognized as Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site, celebrating the rich history of the Nabataean civilization.
