PR93483

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

- Saudi Arabia partners with France to host Villa Hegra at AlUla

- Cultural complex to mark arrival of the 'French villa' model in the Middle

East

- Agreements with Ferrandi Paris, Dassault Systèmes and RATP DeV Saudi Arabia

to develop AlUla into a global smart city for residents and visitors  

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) today announced the signing of four

strategic agreements – including one for Villa Hegra, introducing the iconic

'French villa' model in the Middle East.

The signings coincided with Saturday's official visit to Jeddah by the French

President Emmanuel Macron and his meeting with His Royal Highness Prince

Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Chairman of the

Board of Directors of the Royal Commission for AlUla County.

The partnerships come as part of RCU's integrated development programme to

transform AlUla into a global cultural and natural heritage destination and a

gateway city offering an outstanding quality of life for residents and visitors.

Villa Hegra at AlUla will be a unique place where artists, writers and painters

come together, representing a continuity of AlUla's legacy as a hub of

commercial and cultural exchange. It will be respectful of the environment and

history, and inclusive of local populations. Currently there are 11 iterations

of the "Villa" worldwide, with seven in France and four overseas from Mexico to

Rome, each showcasing the best of French and global culture.

The 15,100 sq m Villa Hegra will be a cluster of entities including the

exclusive AlUla International College of Tourism & Hospitality, a 6,600 sq m

lifestyle apartment-hotel, cultural centre, arts residence quarters and social

club.

Signing the agreements for Villa Hegra were H.H. Prince Badr bin Farhan Al

Saud, Governor of the Royal commission for AlUla and H.E. Jean-Yves Le Drian,

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

"The relationship between France and Saudi Arabia is built upon mutual

recognition of the important of cultural exchange and development. Since the

signing of our first agreements in 2018, we have worked together to create a

new template for cultural diplomacy – one that puts the sharing of knowledge,

expertise and resources at the fore and opens up new opportunities for the

local community. The arrival of Villa Hegra at AlUla adds another layer to

AlUla's legacy as a place for the world to come together," said Amr AlMadani,

Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Commission for AlUla.

RCU also signed an exclusive agreement with the Ferrandi Paris Culinary Arts

and Hospitality Institute to jointly create a Ferrandi-branded AlUla

International College of Tourism & Hospitality to accelerate the long-term

vision of establishing AlUla as the regional home of hospitality, tourism and

the culinary arts.

Signed by Amr AlMadani, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Commission for

AlUla, and Bruno de Monte, CEO of Ferrandi, the exclusive partnership will

contribute to AlUla's strategy to become the primary knowledge and training hub

for tourism, hospitality and culinary arts in the Kingdom. By partnering with

world-class institutions, it aims to attract and upskill international and

local talent into industry professionals to lead the sectors growth in AlUla.

In addition to Villa Hegra and the Ferrandi Paris Culinary Arts and Hospitality

Institute, RCU also signed agreements with Dassault Systèmes and RATP DeV Saudi

Arabia, focused on delivering a city fit for the future – providing citizens,

residents and tourists with an outstanding quality of life by streamlining and

digitizing processes and delivering public transport and mobility operations.

With Dassault Systèmes, RCU has partnered on the creation of a digital twin – a

digital copy of AlUla that will function as an important tool for planning,

development, municipal operations, community and investor citizens and

investors. The agreement builds on the efforts of RCU to develop an integrated

geo-spatial database.

Similarly, the partnership with RATP DeV Saudi Arabia leverages the

organisation's 120 years of transport operation in the development of a world

class public transportation system in AlUla. The partnership will see RCU

access the latest in mobility innovation and best practices in mobility

operations and solutions, including autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles and

hybrid vehicles that meet the needs of locals and tourists alike.

"AlUla is an experimental lab for the future of tourism. By partnering with

industry leading entities such as the Ferrandi Paris Culinary Arts and

Hospitality Institute, Dassault Systèmes and RATP DeV Saudi Arabia, we can

access their vast store of knowledge, industry know-how as well as research and

innovation to build a destination that is not only a cultural and artistic

haven and a benchmark for sustainable development but an economic engine for

the industry," added Amr AlMadani, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal

Commission for AlUla.

The agreements are an extension of the strong co-operation between the two

nations across diverse sectors in AlUla following the signing of an

intergovernmental agreement to develop new cultural, education and arts assets

at AlUla on April 10, 2018. The agreement has led to a strong French role in

AlUla, in areas from archaeology to smart-city infrastructure to hospitality,

with the architect Jean Nouvel planning to build a luxury resort that will be

carved into the sandstone rocks of AlUla, thereby reviving the traditional

stonework of the area's ancient Nabataean masons.

On the side lines of the Presidential visit, RCU also took part in a

Saudi-French investment forum at Jeddah to explore further opportunities of

mutual benefit.

For signing imagery, please click here.

For media enquiries please contact the RCU Public Relations team at

publicrelations@rcu.gov.sa

Note to editors:

It is always AlUla / not Al-Ula

About the Royal Commission for AlUla

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established by royal decree in July

2017 to preserve and develop AlUla, a region of outstanding natural and

cultural significance in north-west Saudi Arabia. RCU's long-term plan outlines

a responsible, sustainable, and sensitive approach to urban and economic

development, that preserves the area's natural and historic heritage, while

establishing AlUla as a desirable location to live, work, and visit. This

encompasses a broad range of initiatives across archaeology, tourism, culture,

education, and the arts, reflecting a commitment to meeting the economic

diversification, local community empowerment, and heritage preservation

priorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme.

Source: The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU)