With culture, art and heritage at its centre, AlUla in Saudi Arabia is one of the hottest emerging destinations in the world, Melanie de Souza, Executive Director, Destination Marketing, tells India Outbound. She says that the tourist numbers are growing rapidly, from about 263,000 in 2023 to about 290,000 in 2024, but with sustainability at its core, AlUla plans to cap total annual arrivals at 2 million by the year 2035. de Souza adds that due to its proximity, connectivity and very positive feedback from trade partners and media, India will be a critical source market for AlUla.