Inside Prince William’s tour of Saudi Arabia’s heritage destination AlUla

Britain’s Prince William, HRH The Prince of Wales, has spotlighted AlUla, Saudi Arabia’s leading heritage and cultural tourism destination, during his first official visit to the kingdom. Exploring landmarks across the 7,000‑year‑old site, he toured AlUla Old Town, the Incense Road and the Oasis Cultural District, where he was taken on a tour of an eco gardening project in the AlUla Oasis, before joining a tree‑planting initiative at Sharaan Nature Reserve and meeting Saudi rangers. The prince also visited the Dancing Rocks formation, learning about local conservation projects, including efforts to reintroduce the Arabian Leopard. His trip coincided with the AlUla Arts Festival, where he met Saudi artists involved in UK‑Saudi cultural programmes at the AlJadidah Arts District and visited the Prince of Wales House. Underscoring its growing status as a hub for heritage and creativity, AlUla recorded a 9% rise in visitors in 2024, buoyed by new luxury hotel openings from Banyan Tree, Habitas and Chedi.

Photograph credits: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace

For more information, visit rcu.gov.sa and experiencealula.com