• The expansion of the approved DMCs aligns with an increase in both international and domestic airline and accommodation capacity

AlUla, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: AlUla announces the appointment of five new Destination Management Companies (DMCs) to its list of preferred travel partners, emphasising the ancient city's growing allure for global travelers seeking unique and enriching experiences.

The destination management companies in AlUla, the ancient oasis city located in the north west of Saudi Arabia, assist tour operators and travel agencies - from around the globe – in coordinating travel itineraries, including transportation, hotel accommodation, restaurant and signature experiences.

In addition to existing DMCs - Go Zahid, The Traveling Panther, and AlUla Guide Tours - the newly added DMCs are Abercrombie & Kent, EXO Travel, DMC Arabia, Tetrapylon, and Discover Saudi. This expansion brings the total count of preferred DMCs to eight, providing travel intermediaries and visitors with a diverse range of specialised services.

Melanie de Souza, Executive Director, Destination Marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said, “Our trusted partners serve as a window into the diversity of experiences available in AlUla, spanning arts and culture, heritage, adventure, nature, wellness and beyond. We take pride in welcoming on board these DMCs, who have been selected for their specialisation in service delivery across our 10 key priority geographic markets. As AlUla continues its ascent as a luxury boutique destination on the global stage, we look forward to establishing further meaningful partnerships with all levels of the travel trade.”

In terms of air connectivity, AlUla is well served with direct services to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, and internationally with Dubai and Doha, In addition to seasonal services from Cairo and Amman.

Visitors can experience the epitome of luxurious hospitality at a variety of hotels, including Habitas AlUla, Banyan Tree AlUla, cloud7 Residences, and Shaden Resort. Additionally, soon to open are the eco-lodge Dar Tantora by the House Hotel at Old Town and the Hegra Boutique Hotel.

AlUla is synonymous with heritage of global significance. Its key sites include Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site; AlUla Old Town, recognised among the world’s Best Tourism Villages in 2022 by the UN World Tourism Organisation; Jabal Ikmah, an 'open library' inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register; and the scenic AlUla Oasis, featuring walking paths lined with palm trees and fruit orchards.

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About AlUla

Located 1,100 km from Riyadh, in North-West Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage. The vast area, covering 22,561km², includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years to when the Lihyan and Nabataean kingdoms reigned.

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 includesf 111 well-preserved tombs, many with elaborate facades cut out of the sandstone outcrops surrounding the walled urban settlement.

Current research also suggests Hegra was the most southern outpost of the Roman Empire after the Roman’s conquered the Nabataeans in 106 CE.

In addition to Hegra, AlUla is also home to ancient Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms and considered to be one of the most developed 1st millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula, and Jabal Ikmah, an open air library of hundreds of inscriptions and writings in many different languages, which has been recently listed on the UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. AlUla Old Town , a labyrinth of more than 900 mudbrick homes developed from at least the 12th century, has been selected as one of the World’s Best Tourism Villages by the UNWTO. Additionally, Hijaz Railway and Hegra Fort are key sites in the story and conquests of Lawrence of Arabia.

For more information, please visit: experiencealula.com