Al-Ula, Diriyah Gate to become major tourist attractions

 King Salman has decreed the establishment of commissions to develop two of Saudi Arabia’s most important archaeological and historical sites, Al-Ula and Diriyah Gate.
The boards of both commissions will be headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The two areas’ historical, cultural and architectural significance is expected to make them major tourist attractions as the Saudi hospitality and tourism industry matures to welcome local and international travelers.
The orders to establish the Royal Commission for Al-Ula Province and the Diriyah Gate Renovation Commission are in line with Vision 2030, which seeks to develop tourism in the Kingdom to attract more than 1 million visitors annually.
Al-Ula town was founded in the 6th century and serves as the gateway to the Kingdom’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mada’en Saleh, which was built more than 2,000 years ago by the Nabataeans, who also built Petra in Jordan.
Diriyah was the first capital of the Saudi royal dynasty from 1744 to 1818, and is an excellent example of the Najdi architecture of that period.