Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has partnered with hotel and resort brand Aman to develop, design and manage its first three properties in AlUla.
A technical services agreement was inked between Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture and the Governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla, HH Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammad bin Farhan Al Saud, and chairman and chief executive officer of Aman, Vladislav Doronin.
As part of the project, Aman will develop three resorts, which will include a tented camp, a resort near AlUla’s heritage areas, and a desert ranch-style resort. Detailed design work is set to begin imminently, and the hotel operator is projecting it will welcome the resorts’ first guests in 2023.
Commenting on the agreement, Prince Badr said: “We are proud to be signing this agreement with a luxury operator who shares our vision of sensitive development that both works with and incorporates the local landscape and culture in a highly sympathetic manner, while demonstrating our commitment to delivering an extraordinary visitor experience in AlUla.
Doronin added in the statement: “The addition of AlUla takes us to 10 properties situated near or in UNESCO heritage sites, making it a fitting location for our first destination in the Middle East.”
The Aman partnership is the second major international resort development for the AlUla region and follows the planned Jean Nouvel-designed resort within the Sharaan Nature Reserve.
