Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Commission for Al-Ula Amr al-Madani said that the agency is focusing on heritage, tourism, the local community and diversification of the economy. He made his remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat as Saudi Arabia launched on Sunday the “Al-Ula Vision”, which is a set of development and conservation projects that will amplify Al-Ula’s place as a world heritage destination, in line with Saudi Vision 2030. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, launched the vision for the ancient city of Al-Ula in the presence of top officials and local and international investors. Madani pointed out that the vision aims at setting a new standard for re-balancing the ecosystems in Al-Ula, explaining that this reflects Saudi Arabias commitment to protecting the natural environment. He said that this will promote the reproduction of endangered species within their native environment and attract tourists, stressing that “this is a responsibility we cherish.” Moreover, he declared that many artifacts dating back thousands of years have been excavated, revealing evidence of human activity in the region some 100,000 years ago. Madani also turned to the Winter at Tantora festival, which he said is the first step in the development of the tourist season in Al-Ula. The festival included cultural and artistic activities, as well as concerts by local and international artists, attracting fans from all over the world. Madani revealed that the commission will organize a series of activities and tourism programs inspired from Al-Ula’s nature and heritage. Through its projects, the commission will also contribute to the Kingdoms cumulative GDP growth of SR120 billion ($32 billion) by 2035, he said.