AlUla Wins Gold at 2026 ICRT Responsible Tourism Awards
The award recognises AlUla’s conservation-led tourism model, including protected reserves, habitat restoration and wildlife reintroduction.
AlUla has won Gold in the Nature Positive category at the 2026 ICRT Responsible Tourism Awards, recognising conservation as a central part of the destination’s tourism development.
More than half of AlUla’s 22,561 square kilometres is designated as protected nature reserves. Conservation programmes have included planting more than 500,000 native trees and releasing over 1,500 animals into the wild as part of wider ecological restoration efforts.
The awards also highlighted AlUla’s work with international scientists and conservation organisations, with environmental planning integrated into tourism and development projects across the destination.
This approach is framed through AlUla’s regenerative tourism model, which focuses on restoring ecosystems while protecting cultural heritage and supporting local communities. The AlUla Sustainability Charter sets out environmental stewardship as one of the core principles guiding development.
AlUla is home to more than 500 recorded plant species, with restoration work focused on rebuilding native vegetation and recovering habitats across desert and oasis ecosystems. At Sharaan National Park, restoration activities have covered around 74,000 hectares.
The recognition was announced around World Tourism Day on September 27th, which this year focused on responsible tourism development and the protection of natural and cultural assets.
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