AlUla becomes the first destination in the Middle East to receive accreditation from Destinations International

Destinations International, a US-based organisation, has accredited AlUla as the first destination in the Middle East. This accreditation, a component of the DMAP (Destination Marketing Accreditation Programme), sets standards for professionalism and quality in destination marketing organisations. The certification was granted a year after AlUla became the first Middle Eastern organisation to join Destinations International.

Spurred on by a year-round activities schedule and first-rate hospitality offerings, AlUla has become Saudi Arabia's foremost tourism destination since it opened to guests four years ago. This certification is proof of AlUla's advancement towards its goal of building a community-beneficial, sustainable economy.

AlUla fulfilled more than a hundred performance requirements in the areas of destination development, financial management, governance, and stakeholder engagement to obtain this certification. These guidelines are frequently updated to reflect changing industry best practices and are established by an independent group of experts.

With this new honour, AlUla's outstanding collection of honours grows. For the second year in a row, AlUla won the World Travel Awards Middle East's top cultural tourism initiative in the region in May. It also won the prize for the finest innovative cultural tourism initiative in the Kingdom for 2024 and was acknowledged as the top festival and event destination in the Middle East.

The Royal Commission for AlUla also received the Excellence Award from the Middle East Facility Management Association and a 5-star rating for organisational excellence from the European Foundation for Quality Management.