The concept of ‘luxury travel’ doesn’t resonate with people in the way it used to. The traditional hallmarks of what was perceived as ‘luxury’ are no longer defined by grandiose hotels with polished marble floors, extravagantly attentive service, and exclusive locations. Nowadays, what is considered, and what is demanded from, a luxury holiday has undergone a re-evaluation of sorts.
In today’s frenetic world, we’re seeing that luxury is increasingly defined by that most simple, precious, yet-overlooked of things – time and quality use thereof.
In today’s world, impacted by geopolitical events, most travellers would consider it a luxury if their journeys are free from the exasperations of cancellations, rerouting, and delays. But more broadly, I see discerning travellers today demanding from their leisure time authenticity and meaningful connections.
This is the core principle guiding AlUla’s ongoing vision, particularly as the MENA region continues to reshape how tourism destinations market themselves.
In AlUla, we understand that modern luxury is less about the feather count of your hotel pillow and more about how a place makes you feel. It’s about profound, personal encounters. Our guests come to northwest Arabia seeking deep immersion in a destination that till as recently as six years ago, was inaccessible to tourists.
It’s our ability to understand and to deliver on this that underpins AlUla’s proposition. We champion a philosophy of “Forever Revitalising” where authenticity and purpose are at the heart of everything we do.
The title of our inaugural global brand campaign, the ‘Forever Revitalising’ principle, allows us to portray the real depth and meaning of AlUla, celebrating people, environments, and cultures in a way that feels ‘real’. The campaign, launched in February 2024, has been instrumental in raising and maintaining AlUla’s global profile by effectively unlocking our extraordinary heritage, pristine landscapes, and true cultural richness as a singular, immersive package.
‘Forever Revitalising’ has been a success in putting AlUla on the tips of tongues, driving a 7 percentage point year-on-year increase in brand awareness, achieving 240 percent growth in digital revenue, and attracting affluent, experience-driven, high-spending audiences. It also underscored a vital lesson: that engaging the modern traveller who seeks depth, escape, and genuine connection means demonstrating a purpose-driven commitment to community, conservation, and a respectful, genuine interpretation of a place and its story. The spectacular, serene natural landscapes of AlUla are the perfect backdrop for people to connect with loved ones and reconnect with themselves, facilitating what a prominent credit card would reference as “priceless moments”.
But beyond sharing the intrinsic beauty of our nature and history, we’ve also learned that having a deep understanding of our customers through research and the right systems and processes in place is critical. Our hotel partners know that the ability of their staff to address a guest by name, recall individual preferences, and personalise an experience relies entirely on robust customer relations management systems. These are only as good as they are regularly referenced and kept up-to-date.
As we accelerate the diversity of our future hotel portfolio, we ensure we are choosing partners who subscribe to our sustainability ethos. From the Sharaan Resort by Jean Nouvel, a modern architectural marvel carved into the rock faces of AlUla, to the refined Aman Hegra hotel – each will deliver a unique proposition that deliberately expands our offering without compromising on character or capacity, in line with the destination’s overall ambition. Despite this broadening of our hotel product offering, we intend to carefully manage visitor numbers to ensure moments are savored, and the quality of experience is not compromised.
Over the years, as AlUla has matured as a destination, our journey has reinforced the notion that success in luxury is fundamentally built not only upon the rawness of remarkable landscapes and richness of heritage, but on the delivery of a plan rooted in respect for a place, its people, and its guests. Through strategic marketing and vision, driven by our “Forever Revitalising” proposition, we ensure our values resonate with increasingly discerning guests at every touchpoint.
Looking ahead, our enduring impact in the luxury travel sector rests in our capacity and willingness to keep learning from and partnering with the best in the development of every sector of tourism and staying true to our community, our rich cultural heritage, and taking pride in what we offer. The market is always changing, so we must always be in tune with customer sentiment, putting the human experience at the forefront of our appeal. Because, for guests looking for more than just luxury, it is the quality of time spent on the leisure tourism dollar that is truly of the essence.
(The author is the Executive Director, Destination Marketing, Royal Commission for AlUla)
