The Journey Through Time Masterplan marks a major step in protecting and sharing the AlUla cultural and heritage site with the world - Seite 2

The Journey Through Time Masterplan was envisioned as a way to capture the deep-rooted essence of what AlUla already is - an oasis of unique culture, heritage, nature and community – while curating a timeless legacy with stories of the past to inform the future and open new chapters in AlUla's unfolding history.

Each district of The Journey Through Time Masterplan is a cultural landmark in its own right and reflective of the singular and ever-evolving history, topography and nature that is unique to that particular location. This spatial system of highly differentiated villages, experiences and cultural assets is designed to be visitor-centric and rewards more immersive discovery, exploration and longer stays.

Symbolising Saudi Arabia's renewed commitment to the preservation and protection of world heritage, knowledge and research, the masterplan is backed by extensive scientific studies on AlUla's human patterns, environmental and geological evolution, developed by a team of international and Saudi experts.

As a direct response to the challenges of sustainably and responsibly developing a fragile desert environment, the replenishment of the 9km core Cultural Oasis - through research and innovative solutions - will be a key element of the masterplan. Contributing to the Saudi Green Initiative, the regeneration of AlUla is underpinned by a strategy to rehabilitate the land and reverse the course of desertification in the area. Enabling a major expansion of AlUla's green and open spaces up to 10 million square meters, it will provide a haven for AlUla's archaeological sites, an opportunity for sustainable agricultural production as well as an enchanting experience for visitors.

Together, two flagship projects of the masterplan – the Kingdoms Institute and the Cultural Oasis – reflect Saudi Arabia's commitment to offer the world a viable model for protecting, preserving and contributing to the world's cultural and natural legacy.

Creating a new, balanced view of concepts such as protection, conservation, restoration, regeneration and development, the AlUla Sustainability Charter sets the ground for an innovative and integrated approach to sustainability. The Charter includes, at the heart of the masterplan, a zero-carbon policy coupled with circular economy principles, and robust resiliency policies around development in heritage and environmentally sensitive areas, as well as flood and improved water management and vegetation planting.