Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Gulf Region
Saudi Arabia might be touting plenty of futuristic developments as it opens itself up to tourism with its recently announced new visas, but in terms of cultural offerings, Al Ula is its crown jewel. Home to Madain Saleh, the first site in the kingdom to be recognised by Unesco and a location often compared to Jordan's Petra, Al Ula is understandably being placed front and centre of the drive for tourists seeking history and culture. Located 300 kilometres north of Medina, Al Ula was historically located on the Incense route and was an important trading hub for the ancient Lihyanites. These days, it’s scattered with ancient ruins, several-thousand-year-old tombs, date farms and an incredible landscape akin to Wadi Rum in Jordan.