Saudi Arabia - Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) will feature at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) at the World Trade Centre in Dubai next month, showcasing its emerging credentials as one of the world’s most exciting cultural tourist destinations.

Fresh off the back of recently announced partnerships with global hospitality brands such as Four Seasons and Armani, DGDA will be partnering with the Saudi Tourism Authority to share with delegates the growth of Saudi Arabia’s tourist industry and the diversity of its offering. ATM will be held from May 9 to 12.

DGDA’s Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo and Chief of Strategic Management Talal Kensara are set to join discussions ranging from how Saudi Arabia is setting a new global benchmark for responsible tourism to sustainable rebuilding and growth strategies post-pandemic, said a statement.

DGDA is also set to make a number of key announcements about its upcoming offerings and expansions.

Diriyah – located in the north-west of Riyadh - is the historic birthplace of the modern Saudi Arabia and the ancestral home of the House of Al Saud. At its centre stands Unesco World Heritage Site At-Turaif, a magnificent collection of beautifully preserved mud-brick palaces that became the capital of the first Saudi state founded in 1727. Imbued with Saudi Arabia’s national history and identity, it was also a defining cultural influence on the broader Arabian Peninsula, making At-Turaif the Kingdom’s most important heritage site.

DGDA’s mission is to share, protect and celebrate this heritage by transforming Diriyah into one of the world’s most exciting cultural tourist destinations. Diriyah Gate will be a 11-sq km mixed-use development of hospitality, commercial, retail and nature offerings that will both leverage and elevate the exceptionally distinctive character and cultural importance of the area, it said.

Diriyah announced 14 hospitality partnerships in late 2021, with top names such as Rosewood, Address and the Ritz Carlton among them. Four Seasons and Armani announced they would open hotels in Diriyah last month.

Bujairi Terrace - a lifestyle destination within the development that will boast more than 20 new F&B outlets offering everything from traditional Saudi cuisine to Michelin-star fine dining – is also nearing completion, as the development’s progress gathers pace.

With a $50.6 billion investment pipeline, Diriyah will add around $7.2 billion to the Kingdom’s GDP and create 55,000 jobs. This will support the Kingdom’s broader ambition of attracting 27 million visitors a year to Saudi Arabia and increasing tourism’s contribution to Saudi Arabia’s GDP from 3% to 10% by the end of the decade, it said.

Inzerillo said: “It is a pleasure to see DGDA back at ATM this year to showcase what we are building in Diriyah. It is clear to me that travellers nowadays are looking for experiences that cannot be found anywhere else. We will show ATM that Diriyah is ready to welcome these travel pioneers, offering them an authentic cultural experience at the very birthplace of Saudi Arabia.”

ATM is the leading international travel and tourism event which will unlock business potential within the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. The theme of this year’s event is “the future of travel and tourism,” focusing on the likely challenges and benefits for the industry moving forward. Technology, sustainability, education and training, as well as equity in health, education and economic opportunity, is planned to top the agenda.

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