Saudi Arabia launches 'The Journey Through Time' masterplan for AlUla

Saudi Arabia to transform the historical AlUla region into a global destination for heritage, nature, art and culture through a developmental initiative. The Crown Prince and the chairman of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), Mohammed bin Salman has launched a master plan 'The Journey Through Time' to protect and preserve the region, to be implemented in three phases until 2035.

RCU noted that the initiative will be the first in a series of developmental strategies for AlUla. The first phase is set to be completed by 2023. It is expected that the master plan, once completed, will contribute $32Bn to the Kingdom's GDP and will create 38,000 employment opportunities, the state-run SPA said in a statement.

As part of bettering the future through Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and protecting the history of civilizations spanned over 7000 years, the project aims at establishing five districts - AlUla Old Town, Dadan, Jabal Ikmah, Nabataean Horizon and Hegra Historical City, that will be hubs to the existing heritage site by 2035. The districts will be linked with a 20km-long green pedestrian 'Wadi of Hospitality' by the side of the oasis, along with a 46 km low-carbon tramway headed towards the AlUla International Airport, according to the statement.

Additionally, around 15 landmark spots consisting of galleries, museums, and cultural centres will also be built for 'The Journey Through Time' project.

To contribute more to the history of the UNESCO-recognized Heritage Site, Mohammed Bin Salama also launched the Cultural Oasis and the Kingdoms Institute, which will be a global hub for archaeological knowledge and research, the statement added.

"We embark on a journey to preserve the world's largest cultural oasis and advance our understanding of 200,000 years of heritage. The Journey Through Time master plan is a leap forward to sustainably and responsibly develop AlUla and share our cultural legacy with the world," said the crown prince.