Tourists visiting the ancient archaeological site of Hegra in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Bloomberg
Tourists visiting the ancient archaeological site of Hegra in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Bloomberg
Tourists visiting the ancient archaeological site of Hegra in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Bloomberg
Tourists visiting the ancient archaeological site of Hegra in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Bloomberg

PIF-owned AlUla Development Company launched to turn tourism site into global destination


Ian Oxborrow
  • English
  • Arabic

AlUla Development Company is launching operations with the aim of turning the city into a global tourism destination in Saudi Arabia.

The company, which is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), plans to deliver hospitality, residential, retail and infrastructure projects as part of the tourism push.

Planned developments include more than 7,500 hotel keys, 5,000 residential units, a staff village comprising more than 1,000 units, as well as infrastructure support, according to a statement on Monday.

"AlUla Development Company will create jobs and opportunities for local businesses and communities whilst preserving one of the world’s largest and oldest cultural sites," the statement said.

"The company’s mandate is in line with PIF’s strategy on unlocking the capabilities of promising sectors in Saudi Arabia that can help drive the diversification of the economy, increase private sector engagement and improve quality of life to support Saudi Arabia’s position regionally and internationally as a leading tourism and cultural destination in line with Vision 2030."

The company will work in collaboration with the Royal Commission of AlUla (RCU) and private sector entities.

AlUla is expected to contribute about 120 billion Saudi riyals ($32 billion) to Saudi Arabia’s economy.

Saudi megaprojects 2023: Neom, AlUla and more

  • The Line is one of 10 districts in Saudi Arabia's $500 billion Neom megacity. Photo: Neom
    The Line is one of 10 districts in Saudi Arabia's $500 billion Neom megacity. Photo: Neom
  • Sindalah Island is set to be the first destination open to the public within the Neom mega project. Photo: Neom
    Sindalah Island is set to be the first destination open to the public within the Neom mega project. Photo: Neom
  • Trojena, a mountain tourism destination, will be the first major outdoor skiing site in the GCC. Photo: Neom
    Trojena, a mountain tourism destination, will be the first major outdoor skiing site in the GCC. Photo: Neom
  • Oxagon, part of the Neom mega project, is a futuristic new industrial city in the sea. Photo: Neom
    Oxagon, part of the Neom mega project, is a futuristic new industrial city in the sea. Photo: Neom
  • AlUla is a budding tourist magnet in the north-western Madinah region. AFP
    AlUla is a budding tourist magnet in the north-western Madinah region. AFP
  • When it opens in 2023, Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, will form part of The Red Sea project. Photo: Marriott International
    When it opens in 2023, Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, will form part of The Red Sea project. Photo: Marriott International
  • Amaala has unveiled the design for its Triple Bay Yacht Club. Photo: Amaala
    Amaala has unveiled the design for its Triple Bay Yacht Club. Photo: Amaala
  • Qiddiya City is an entertainment development project to be established in Riyadh.
    Qiddiya City is an entertainment development project to be established in Riyadh.
  • Salwa Palace is the largest standing structure in the historic city of Diriyah. Photo: Diriyah Gate Development Authority
    Salwa Palace is the largest standing structure in the historic city of Diriyah. Photo: Diriyah Gate Development Authority
  • A screen grab of aerial footage of the King Salman Park in Riyadh. The project is set to become the world’s biggest urban park.
    A screen grab of aerial footage of the King Salman Park in Riyadh. The project is set to become the world’s biggest urban park.

The RCU forecasts that the population of the area will triple to 130,000 by 2035, generating about 38,000 new jobs.

The RCU was established in 2017 to preserve and develop AlUla, in line with the heritage and preservation priorities of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme.

AlUla is among a number of projects in Saudi Arabia which form part of its diversification efforts.

Others include the $500 billion Neom smart city in the north-west of the kingdom, the Red Sea Project, which includes an archipelago of 92 islands, 50 dormant volcanoes, mountain ranges and sand dunes, and Ad Diriyah, the 300-year-old city considered to be the birthplace and capital of the first Saudi state.

Visitors to Saudi Arabia spent 27 billion riyals during the first six months of last year, making tourism one of the kingdom's most promising sectors.

The Ministry of Investment said 3.6 million foreign tourists visited the kingdom during the second quarter of the year, greatly contributing to a plan to diversify sources of income as part of Vision 2030.

Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin

Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWest%20Asia%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Bahrain%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%201%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%202%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%20III%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDubai%20Sevens%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Voice of Hind Rajab

Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania

Rating: 4/5

The Bio

Name: Lynn Davison

Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi

Children: She has one son, Casey, 28

Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite Author: CJ Sansom

Favourite holiday destination: Bali

Favourite food: A Sunday roast

Getting there

The flights

Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.

The stay

Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.

Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com

PRO BASH

Thursday’s fixtures

6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors

10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters

Teams

Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.

Squad rules

All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.

Tournament rules

The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.

MATCH INFO

Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')

Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)

All or Nothing

Amazon Prime

Four stars

RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner: Arjan, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).

5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m​​​​​​​
Winner: Jap Nazaa, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi.

6pm: Al Ruwais Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 1,200m​​​​​​​
Winner: RB Lam Tara, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinal.

6.30pm: Shadwell Gold Cup Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: AF Sanad, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.

7pm: Shadwell Farm Stallions Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Dubai Canal, Harry Bentley, Satish Seemar.

Updated: January 30, 2023, 1:44 PM