AlUla Celebrated With Gold Award for Responsible Tourism in 2026

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla received the Gold Award in the Nature Positive Category at the 2026 International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) Responsible Tourism Awards. This award was awarded to AlUla for its nature-first approach to tourism development and efforts to safeguard and restore the natural and cultural ecosystem.

On September 27, World Tourism Day, the recognition highlighted AlUla’s efforts to promote responsible tourism while protecting its natural and cultural assets. The award comes at a time when the global tourism sector looks to develop its tourism industries along with the protection of the natural surroundings and preserving its cultural heritage.

As part of AlUla conservation efforts and ecological restoration work, it has planted more than 5,00,000 native trees and also returned over 1500 animals to the wild. More than 4,00,000 native trees have been planted across the destination landscapes, strengthening its efforts to restore habitat and support local biodiversity.

Judges at the International Centre for Responsible Tourism praised AlUla’s nature-first approach as it highlights a great initiative that prioritises the preservation of the region’s natural environment and biodiversity at the heart of tourism development.

The International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) Awards recognise those organisations who use tourism in ways which not only benefit tourism but also have a positive impact on the environment, society and economy.

This approach is based on the ‘AlUla Sustainability Charter ‘, which aims at linking the development of tourism with the preservation of the region’s cultural inheritance and the rehabilitation of natural ecosystems.

At Sharaan National Park, restoration efforts have covered more than 74,000 hectares, supporting the recovery of natural habitats across the landscape. There are over 500 recorded species of plants in AlUla. Restoration programs here focus on strengthening native flora, restoring natural habitats, and enhancing the resilience of desert and oasis ecosystems.