Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ula will be home to Saudi Arabia’s first Banyan Tree resort, a luxury brand from Europe’s largest hotel group, Accor.
The company will take over the Ashar Resort in the historic north-western city and the expanded property will offer luxury accommodation designed to complement the natural scenery of the valley, according to reports. The new resort will have 82 “luxury tented” villas, with 47 new builds offering a mix of one, two and three-bedroom spaces.
Ashar valley is 9 miles from the Kingdom’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra.
The Banyan Tree resort in Al-Ula does not have a targeted completion date, but will offer unique luxury accommodations in a zero light pollution portion of Saudi Arabia.
The $20 billion Al-Ula tourism project in the kingdom’s northwestern region is one that showcases Saudi Arabia’s natural beauty with heritage sites close by.
Al-Ula’s development is overseen by the Kingdom’s Royal Commission for Al-Ula (RCU), which is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
The selection of Accor’s Banyan Tree continues a theme of sustainability and minimal-impact development for the area. Banyan Tree’s resorts follow a worldwide plastic-free pledge and its operating corporate ethos is “Embracing the Environment, Empowering People.”
“This new partnership demonstrates how Al Ula’s unique appeal as a cultural, heritage and nature destination fits with Accor’s Banyan Tree brand, which is synonymous with authentically unique experiences,” Amr Al Madani, chief executive of the Royal Commission for Al Ula, said.
“We’re working with the world’s best developers and hotel operators to deliver projects that complement our cultural oasis, as well as benefiting our local community.”
By 2035, RCU expects to host 2 million visitors annually, creating 38,000 new jobs.
