Ninth International Conference on Tourism & Leisure Studies

Abstract

This study focuses on the experience of creating a globally leading and progressive tourism hub in the Northwestern corner of Saudi Arabia—an area with a complete absence of tourism only seven years ago. The review explains the journey of AlUla, Saudi Arabia, as a tourist destination, where it is using an innovative approach to create a hub of culture and activity that is anchored in an authentic framing of local culture and community engagement. The case study begins with an overview of key Old Town examples from more established Western destinations to analyse the typical features and tourism offers presented in these locations.It will then provide a very short history of the Old Town of AlUla, which was in a degraded state and had been abandoned since the 1980s. Historically, AlUla’s Old Town was a thriving settlement in the 12th century on the ancient Incense Route and was also a key settlement on the pilgrimage path from Damascus to Makkah. It is overlooked by a 10th-century defensive fort. Next, we offer an overview of how AlUla’s Old Town was transformed, focusing on the strategy used to make the Old Town the centre for AlUla’s diverse cultural offer, including overlaying the meticulously restored heritage site with innovative hospitality and hotels, culinary tourism, modern music and art festivals, and hosting major cultural events. It ends with recommendations and learnings to consider when creating a multi-faceted tourism hub centered on similar heritage sites.