Saudi Arabia is focusing on sustainable tourism in all its projects: Diriyah executive
As Saudi Arabia accelerates efforts
to redefine its tourism sector, sustainability has become a cornerstone of the
Kingdom’s transformation—balancing economic growth with cultural preservation
and environmental care.
Speaking at the Athar Festival, Abdulrahman Al-Jefri,
Destination and Live Assets Executive Director at Diriyah Co., said that the global
understanding of sustainability is evolving to include new technologies and
approaches under the banner of “sustainable tourism.”
“The world is shifting into a new
definition for sustainability, where today we have very specific technologies
called sustainable tourism,” Al-Jefri told Arab News, a media partner of the
event.
“It’s not just about preserving the world for future generations—it’s about recreating
the assets that have been lost or consumed.”
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Al-Jefri noted that tourism, while
vital to economic diversification, also carries one of the highest
environmental impacts, from carbon emissions to waste. Diriyah’s master plan,
he said, integrates sustainability principles to mitigate these
effects—prioritizing walkability, traditional mud-brick architecture, and green
landscape protection.
“We’re mandated to preserve the
greenery that has existed for 2,000 years in Wadi
Hanifa,” he said. “We’re preserving all existing trees and planting more
than one million new ones. Our use of mud-brick architecture, a breathable and
low-rise material, supports both environmental balance and cultural
authenticity.”
Al-Jefri added that Saudi Arabia’s
expanding tourism ecosystem is also opening new career opportunities for young
Saudis, while broadening the scope of tourism beyond religious travel to
include culture, heritage, and leisure.
During a panel discussion titled “Beyond
Moments: Transforming Tourism Experiences into Legacies in the Middle East,” Melanie
De Souza, Executive Director of Destination Marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said travelers
are increasingly seeking meaningful and immersive experiences that align with
their personal values.
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“Today’s travelers are motivated by
deeper cultural connections,” she explained. “What truly resonates with them is
our shared responsibility to protect and restore heritage and revive natural
landscapes.”
Wadha Al-Nafjan, Senior Visitor
Services Manager at the King Salman Park
Foundation, emphasized the importance of creating emotional bonds between
destinations and visitors.
“Visitor experiences must go beyond
services,” she said. “Designing spaces that foster emotional connection and active
participation helps turn moments into lasting legacies.”
She added that the long-term value
of tourism lies not only in visitor engagement but in how projects improve
people’s lives.
“Moments capture attention,”
Al-Nafjan said, “but legacies are built when destinations are designed with
purpose and impact in mind.”
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The Athar Festival’s discussions
underscored how Saudi Arabia’s tourism leaders are uniting sustainability,
innovation, and cultural identity—setting the stage for a tourism model that
both honors the past and builds a resilient, regenerative future.
Source: Arab News
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