The most prestigious honour at the annual Awards, and the industry’s highest accolade, AlUla won the top title after receiving the most votes from international experts, senior executives, specialist travel buyers, leading tour operators and established travel agents.

Established in 1993, the World Travel Awards celebrate excellence across the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries and are recognised globally as the pinnacle of achievement. The Awards feature numerous highly contested categories, ranging from best hotel, airline, travel experience and more.

AlUla’s latest accolade comes after the ancient city was named as the Middle East’s Leading Cultural Tourism Project 2025, Middle East’s Leading Festival & Event Destination 2025 and Saudi Arabia’s Leading Cultural Tourism Project 2025 at the recent regional edition of the World Travel Awards.

A place where dramatic desert landscapes meet ancient heritage, AlUla is home to some of the region’s – and the world’s – most significant cultural landmarks including Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a collection of remarkably preserved Nabataean tombs.

With a rich story that spans 200,000 years of human history and 7,000 years of continuous civilisation, AlUla’s past is brought to life by RCU through a calendar of immersive experiences. Visitors are not only mesmerised by AlUla’s monumental history, but they are also immersed in its natural beauty, world-class hospitality and an unrivalled line-up of cultural events, festivals, art exhibitions, concerts and more that make up the year-round AlUla Moments celebration.