• Commitment to expanding global connectivity aligns with ongoing development of the AlUla International Airport

AlUla, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: AlUla International Airport celebrated a significant achievement on Saturday, 3rd February, with the launch of Gulf Air’s first flight to AlUla. The direct service between Manama and AlUla will operate twice a week, starting from 3rd February to 6th March, and from 10th April to 27th April, on Gulf Air’s A320-Neo aircraft.

AlUla’s appeal is considerable, with an increasing number of regional and international travelers drawn to its rich heritage, timeless natural beauty, and diverse calendar of events, including the AlUla Arts Festival, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup and Tough Mudder Infinity AlUla in February.

Rami AlMoallim, Vice President of Destination Management and Marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) said: “We extend a warm welcome to our newest visitors to AlUla, the gateway to a world of history, culture, and adventure. As our destination expands its offerings to international tourists, we are delighted to be included as a key addition to Gulf Air’s seasonal destinations for 2024 and look forward to showcasing the beauty and allure of this ancient destination to more travelers from around the world.”

The city’s dedication to enhancing its international accessibility is evident in the planned expansion of AlUla International Airport, with aims to raise the annual passenger threshold from 400,000 to six million. This expansion is set to offer more than just increased capacity, delivering a luxury, immersive experience with state-of-the-art facilities.

The enhancement of flight operations and airport infrastructure is aligned with AlUla’s ongoing goal to welcome two million visitors annually by 2035, while avoiding over-tourism. This exemplifies a dynamic, ongoing light-touch tourism strategy that ensures the destination’s viability for the future, without compromising on the quality of the visitor experience.

Recently, Saudia airlines has expanded AlUla's connectivity to Europe through flights from Paris, with the return of its Paris’ seasonal flight which took off on 28th January 2024. Royal Jordanian is poised to contribute to this accessibility with the launch of direct flights from Amman to AlUla, scheduled to start from 16th February 2024. Direct flight options to AlUla are also available from Dubai, Doha, and various cities within Saudi Arabia.

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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 is comprised of 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. Also AlUla Old Town Village, a labyrinth of more than 900 mudbrick homes developed from at least the 12th century, which has been selected as one of the World’s Best Tourism Villages in 2022 by the UNWTO. Additionally, Hijaz Railway and Hegra Fort, which are key sites in the story and conquests of Lawrence of Arabia.

For more information, please visit: experiencealula.com