Why Diriyah is set to be Saudi’s next tourism hotspot

Aiming to attract 50 million visitors a year, the rejuvenated historic city of Diriyah has ambitions to become the kingdom’s new capital of culture.

As a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambitions, the mud-brick birthplace of the first Saudi State is being sensitively preserved, restored and developed into a multi-dimensional destination for residents and tourists to enjoy.

Located 15 miles from the centre of the actual capital Riyadh, the US$63.2 billion, 16-million-square-kilometre megaproject includes the centuries-old desert fortress At-Turaif, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and takes inspiration from the traditional Najdi architecture style to inspire a modern, 15-minute city that will eventually be home to 100,000 people.

Diriyah was originally established as a city-state in 1446 and became the capital of the First Saudi State in 1727, founded by Imam Mohammed bin Saud.