500 years ago, Al-Ula was one of the most cosmopolitan cities on earth.
The market town was an essential stop between the Mediterranean and Asia, and the Al-Uhla valley located 300-kilometres north of Median, created the perfect environment for civilizations to flourish (indeed, the Dedanites, Lihyanites, Nabataens and even Romans built cities here).
Today, it is the cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s ambitions for tourism, with plans to turn the area into a world-class tourist destination. It wants to develop it into one of the country’s most important archaeological and cultural destination, and prepare it to welcome visitors from around the world.
Plans include a broad range of initiatives, from archeology, culture, education and the arts. It is a huge part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, but ultimately it will be Al-Ula’s archaeological treasure trove that will draw visitors to the country.
You can see more about how Al-Ula is paving the way for Saudi Tourism in the video below: