Saudia Airlines will operate a weekly direct flight – one way only – to AlUla. Philip Jones, marketing director of the tourist site, tells us about the ambitions of the destination on the French market.
The Tourist Echo: Saudia Airlines will soon operate, like last winter, a direct flight between Paris and AlUla. Is it an essential step for the destination to break into the French market?
Philip Jones: This direct flight, which will depart every Sunday morning from December 4 to March 12, is a key element for the French to discover AlUla*. We all know the importance of air service in the success of a tourist destination. And this connection is a perfect gateway for AlUla from France. But that’s not the only possibility. Flynas, the first low cost airline in the Middle East, has just inaugurated a flight between Cairo and AlUla. In January 2023, Royal Jordanian will serve AlUla via Aman.
Given the flight renewed by Saudia Airlines, we can hope to attract up to 5,000 French people this winter.
AlUla is now widely scheduled by French tour operators. How many tourists do you hope to welcome this winter from France?
Philip Jones: Around forty packages are offered on the French market, and around twenty agencies or high-end tour operators program AlUla as an à la carte destination. Some brands are very well known (Voyageurs du Monde, TUI, Asia, Maisons du Voyage, MSC, etc.). This is an offer that is sufficient for the French market. Last year, we welcomed around 20,000 European tourists. The majority of them came from the UK and France, which are our two main markets. So, given the flight renewed by Saudia Airlines, we can hope to attract up to 5,000 French people this winter. Obviously, this is far from the figures that sites like Petra, in Jordan, can register, but it is part of our strategy.
We are targeting a clientele accustomed to traveling, and ready to pay the price. (…) When the project is fully developed, AlUla will only have 2,000 rooms.
AlUla is still positioning itself as a high-end destination?
Philip Jones: This is the major focus of our tourism strategy. We are targeting a clientele accustomed to traveling, and ready to pay the price provided that they are offered tailor-made experiences with quality services. Banyan Tree has just opened a hotel which perfectly illustrates this strategic ambition. We will therefore analyze our tourism performance on a qualitative rather than a quantitative basis. The other pillar of our development is sustainable development and the idea of preserving AlUla from the negative effects of mass tourism. So it makes sense that we weren’t looking to attract millions of foreign visitors. Moreover, when the project is fully developed, AlUla will only house 2,000 rooms. This is a figure that illustrates our vision well.
Like other destinations, Saudi Arabia cannot escape certain controversies, such as the recent awarding of the Asian Winter Olympics in 2029. Your reaction?
Philip Jones: Some polemics are understandable. But the message that Saudi Arabia wants to convey is that it is a kingdom in full transformation. There is an unprecedented project of opening up to the world for this country, to make it more progressive and more welcoming. Transforming this immense State will take time, and it must be given time, because everything is to be built. The question of perception will be very important, but we could talk about it for hours. We prefer to invite all the curious to go to AlUla, to discover what Saudi Arabia is, far from prejudice.
