LONDON: The Royal Commission for AlUla is partnering with Europe’s biggest hotel group Accor to expand and operate a resort in the northwest of the Kingdom.
The commission’s hotel and tourism sector will extend the Ashar Resort which will be managed by Accor under the Banyan Tree brand.
A total of 47 new villas will be added to the 35 existing villas in the resort, bringing the total number to 82 high-end villas.
The agreement, announced on Sunday, is part of the commission’s strategy to develop AlUla as an attractive tourist destination and diversify the Kingdom’s economy as part of Vision 2030.
The project is located in the Ashar valley, 15 kilometers from the Kingdom's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra.
The CEO of the commission Amr Al-Madani said the partnership “highlights the importance of AlUla as a tourist destination that is able to attract global investment.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman and CEO of Accor Sebastien Bazin said “We are extremely proud to take part in the development of the historic county of AlUla thus celebrating the Kingdom’s vast heritage and culture.”
