Saudi Arabia: AlUla has increased its aviation capacity to 30 weekly flights and is aiming to double its hotel room supply to 2,000, a senior figure in the organization tasked with developing the area told Arab News.

Speaking on the sidelines of the TOURISE conference in Riyadh, Chief Tourism Officer at the Royal Commission for AlUla Phillip Jones explained that the aim is to create a scalable, self-sustaining ecosystem in the area that expands access while protecting heritage and landscapes.

Jones described AlUla as “a year-round destination,” with peak season from October to April driven by festivals, special events, and concerts.

He said 70 percent of AlUla’s visitors come from Saudi Arabia and the GCC, with 30 percent international, led by the US, then the UK, China, and India, along with France, Germany, and Italy.

Speaking to Arab News, Jones said: “We’re now up to 30 flights a week and additional hotel accommodations; we’re at a 1,000 rooms today. We should be at about 1,300 rooms next year, and 1,600 rooms and maybe even 2,000 the following year.”

The chief tourism officer highlighted the extraordinary growth in popularity of AlUla, saying: “Five years ago, when we opened AlUla, we had 20,000 visitors. Today we’re at 300,000.”

In order to further develop, the destination needs to bring together outside investment which benefits the local economy.

“Today we’ve created 6,000 jobs in the hospitality sector,” Jones said. Many roles are filled by Saudis across tour guiding, front office, mobility, and services.

Jones said workforce development is a core challenge, with extensive training to staff new hotels, museums, and attractions, and “about 40 to 50 percent” of roles are being awarded to females to advance inclusion.

“We have about SR41 billion ($10.9 billion) worth of investment opportunities available in AlUla over the next few years,” Jones added.

The growth of tourism means the Royal Commission for AlUla needs to strike a balancing act to ensure the heritage and culture of the area remains preserved.

Jones added: “Our job is to protect it, preserve it, and make sure that 60 percent of AlUla is not developed so it can be in its natural state.”

Programs include Arabian leopard reintroduction, rewilding initiatives, and the planting of 10 million trees over five years to strengthen ecosystems.

“We just commissioned a 26,000-panel survey of travelers from around the world,” Jones said, revealing that 71 percent seek wildlife and nature experiences, 70 percent want cultural immersion, and 64 percent prioritize arts and culture.

Jones said sustaining the current growth trajectory requires disciplined investment in airlift, hotels, and experience design aligned to nature, heritage, and the arts.

The officer explained that near-term priorities include an enhanced food and beverage strategy — with 39 restaurants now open — and a major push into wellness that complements heritage activations and the growing arts and creative industries.

“We just opened our SR1.2 billion state-of-the-art studio,” Jones said, adding that Manhattan Beach Studios has been commissioned to operate the facility.

He said the first Hollywood feature, “Chasing Red,” begins shooting on Dec. 14, with a robust pipeline of Arab and international productions to follow.