Big Tourism Plan for AlUla

With more than 200,000 years of history, AlUla is a rich destination of human and natural heritage. It is home to historic treasures, including the Nabataean city of Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site, and the tombs of Dadan, the stone-built capital of the Dadanite and Lihyanite Kingdoms.

The festival kicked off again Dec. 22, 2022, and will run till Jan. 21, 2023. It features a host of equestrian activities, including a new haute couture event for horses called Ikmah Fashion Cavalry, the competitive Fursan Endurance Race Cup and AlUla Desert Polo in a partnership with Polo Club Saint Tropez.

It is also the abode of the city’s most prominent landmark, the Tantora or the sundial used by the locals of the old town to mark the start of the 40-day winter growing season. It lends its name to a festival called the Winter at Tantora.

Following the success of Winter at Tantora, which ended in February 2022, the CEO of the Royal Commission of AlUla, Amr AlMadani, announced that the destination would be open for tourists the whole year and help boost their numbers.

The city is preparing the groundwork to receive 250,000 tourists and visitors in 2023, according to the CEO.

During an exclusive interview with Arab News, AlMadani said the commission has already tested the potential of AlUla with the launch of Winter at Tantora.

This culturally significant festive season has always been filled with celebrations. The community has always been proud of its time-old traditions, and they continue to revive them every year.