Melanie de Souza serves as the Executive Director of Destination Marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla. In this role, she leads a team of specialists across various domains, including Customer Insights and Research, Brand, Digital Experience, Trade and Consumer Marketing, Public Relations, Partnerships, and Airline Attraction.
After years of success with Visit Victoria, Melanie brought her expertise to AlUla, where she has been helping to shape one of Saudi Arabia’s most exciting destinations. Recognised in 2018 as one of Australia’s top 50 most innovative CMOs by CMO Magazine, Melanie has driven impactful campaigns, built significant international networks, and spearheaded tourism growth. In this interview, she reflects on her journey, her current role, and the evolving landscape of AlUla. Last month, Melanie was called out in Campaign Middle East’s 2024 list of ‘Marketing Game Changers’. We began by asking her to tell us how she came to be here, and how this compares to her work in Australia.
It’s an interesting story. I got a call from a headhunter, and when they mentioned the Middle East, I was curious but also hesitant. When they clarified it was Saudi Arabia, I thought, “I’m not so sure about that.” The lady on the other end, however, was insistent. She said, “Give me 10 minutes of your life. Let me tell you about this project, and I’ll share some high-level vision and strategy documents. If you’re still not interested, that’s fine.”
Well, those 10 minutes changed everything for me. By the end of the conversation, I was intrigued and agreed to a recce trip they offered. When I visited, I was enthralled — not just by the immense potential for global markets but also by the thoughtful and deliberate master planning underpinning the destination’s vision. It’s a considered approach, designed for today’s traveller, and it felt like an opportunity to build a brand I couldn’t pass up.
There’s a fascinating influx of talent into Saudi Arabia’s projects — people like you, Jerry Inzerillo in Diriyah, John Pagano at Red Sea Global, and others bringing external visions to the table. Reflecting on your Melbourne success, what lessons have been invaluable in shaping AlUla’s marketing?
Jerry and John are the crème de la crème of international expertise addressing the tourism agenda in KSA. If I think back to Melbourne, it underwent an incredible transformation — from being Australia’s rust belt to becoming a vibrant hub for culture and events. This change was rooted in a clear placemaking agenda. I have to give credit to the government at the time, which laid out a strong blueprint for revitalising specific precincts like Melbourne’s laneways. Those narrow, unassuming lanes between the city grids became iconic destinations in their own right.
For me, Melbourne’s transformation was all about clarity of purpose: a customer-first, data-driven approach to decision-making, and a brand proposition that reflected the city’s unique strengths. The placemaking agenda played a critical role in tying it all together. These principles resonate deeply with what we’re doing in AlUla.
I’ve heard a former colleague describe you as someone willing to ask the hard questions. What tough questions have you faced in your current role?
(Laughs) … I wonder who that was! Here in AlUla, the toughest but most important questions revolve around balancing our sustainability agenda with the commercial imperatives.
Our brand is firmly rooted in sustainability, and today’s travellers care deeply about responsible tourism. For us, the challenge is balancing our 12-point sustainability charter with driving tangible economic success. It’s about constantly holding a lens up to what we’re doing and asking: Does this align with our sustainability goals? Will it also deliver success at the till? How can we improve the customer journey?
One of AlUla’s unique strengths is its visibility — it’s totally accessible now, unlike Neom or other mega-projects still coming online. How do you approach building the brand in this phase?
When I first started five years ago, we had limited room inventory, so our focus was on cost-effective public relations and proactive media outreach. Honestly, it wasn’t easy. In the early days, some major media outlets didn’t want to engage with us.
But what I’ve seen over time is a complete pendulum shift. Today, those same outlets write glowing reviews of AlUla. We prioritised hosting familiarisation trips, bringing in the right opinion leaders — whether in travel, lifestyle, or general media — and giving them a firsthand experience of AlUla’s offering.
It wasn’t just about the experience; it was about the story. We talked to them about our vision for arts and culture, our ambitious nature and wildlife restoration projects, and our sustainability commitments. From regenerating vast tracts of nature reserves to hopefully realising the vision to reintroduce critically endangered species like the Arabian Leopard, our narrative is compelling and rooted in master plans developed with some of the world’s best experts.
It’s fascinating, isn’t it, the blend of extraordinary vestiges of the past alongside the stunning natural environment… all in one place.
Absolutely. Our core attribute is heritage — there’s no doubt about it. But what I think really surprises people is the layering we’ve built on top of that heritage. This unexpected mix is what’s grabbing the attention of media and audiences alike, earning us significant coverage. It’s that interplay between past, present, and future that makes AlUla so compelling.
You mentioned the cultural and sporting events in AlUla—the cycling, the equestrian events. How involved are you with these, and can you share more about the key events?
My marketing team is deeply involved in branding AlUla and driving the day-to-day marketing across the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU). We market our festival and events calendar under the banner of AlUla Moments, which spans five major festivals and compelling marquee events throughout the year.
We have Winter at Tantora, the first and most iconic festival with strong brand equity. Then there’s the Ancient Kingdoms Festival, which delves into our rich heritage, exploring deeper more immersive experiences. The festival highlights the ancient kingdoms associated with the Dadanite and Lihyanite civilisations, dating back to the 9th century BCE, and the Nabataean civilisation intrinsically tied to Hegra, which is our signature icon and Saudi’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. We also highlight more recent history, like the mudbrick AlUla Old Town, a village that was continuously inhabited from before the 12th century until as recently as the 1980s.
Beyond heritage, we host the AlUla Wellness Festival, AlUla Arts Festival, and AlUla Skies Festival. Throughout the year, we also organise marquee events like Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo, the UCI-affiliated AlUla Tour (formerly the Saudi Tour), and AlUla Desert Blaze, a gruelling event for fitness enthusiasts tackling extreme conditions. It’s an incredibly diverse calendar, offering something for everyone.
You also launched a global brand campaign this year. How is that going, and what’s the story behind it?
The campaign has been performing very well. Our tagline, Forever Revitalising, encapsulates our brand platform perfectly. It’s a promise to visitors: we will protect and preserve this immense legacy of heritage sites, regenerate our nature reserves while collaborating with partners who share our values for sustainability and responsible development.
The creative execution includes film and stills, heavily focussed on digital media as well as offline channels. It’s rolled out across 10 key markets, and the metrics show strong growth in awareness, driving audiences from consideration to conversion.
Of course, we face external challenges. The ongoing Middle East conflict, though unrelated to Saudi Arabia, creates perception issues for some travellers. People don’t always understand the nuances of geography or politics, so safety concerns can emerge. This requires careful messaging to reassure certain markets, but overall, we’re very encouraged by the campaign’s success.
Let’s talk about AlUla’s hotel roadmap. With space at such a premium, what criteria guide your selection of hotel operators?
Our approach to hotel development has been phased. The first five years focused on luxury positioning, favouring boutique brands that fit seamlessly into our unique environment.
Take Banyan Tree, for example—a beautiful brand that aligns with our sustainability ethos. Their low-rise villas, some with private pools, are designed to blend into the landscape while offering unparalleled luxury. Similarly, Our Habitas shares our commitment to experiences that connect like-minded travellers, with a strong focus on wellness.
The Chedi Hegra is another standout. Located at Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage site dating back to the 1st century BCE, the Chedi Hegra honours the area’s heritage while delivering world-class service. The original Hegra Railway station building’s exteriors have been maintained, paying homage to the iconic railway that was built in 1907, reducing the travelling time for Hajj pilgrims from 40 nights to four.
When selecting operators, we prioritise those who align with our ethos: protecting and preserving our heritage, upholding sustainability credentials, and delivering a customer-centric service. We’re also collaborating with AlUla Development Company to expand our hotel inventory further, ensuring every addition enhances AlUla’s unique accommodation offering. New properties in development include a Marriott Autograph collection hotel and a Hyatt.
When people visit AlUla, they see iconic images — like Hegra, for instance. But they may be surprised by the treasures within the old town. How important is this as an asset for the destination?
The Old Town is absolutely central to our ambitions for AlUla. What makes it so special is the direct connection our local community has to it. Many of our team members, who are now interpreters or guides, have deep personal ties — parents or grandparents who lived there. They bring these firsthand stories to life for visitors, which adds a unique, human element to the experience.
The village has been sensitively restored to house retail spaces, dining options, and even the Dar Tantora The House Hotel. We’ve also recently introduced the Incense Road experience, set against Old Town’s stunning backdrop. It highlights AlUla’s historical role as a vital stop on ancient caravan routes, where goods like incense were traded. But more than that, it was a melting pot of ideas, cultures, and knowledge — a legacy we’re honouring through everything we do here.
Let’s talk about connectivity and the plans for AlUla’s airport. How are you aligning air links with the growth of the destination?
Growth in connectivity is key. Right now, we’re working hard to expand air capacity to match our increasing hotel inventory. It’s fantastic that our airport can already handle wide-bodied aircraft, allowing us to connect throughout the year with major hubs like Dubai and Doha. These links open the door to Asia, Europe and North America.
Regionally, we’re served with seasonal services by Royal Jordanian and Gulf Air, alongside carriers like Saudia and flynas, which operate year-round. The goal now is to strengthen our international access further.
The airport itself has undergone significant upgrades, including recent enhancements to the runways. Looking ahead, the development plans include phased expansions in line with forecasted visitor growth. Specifics will evolve over time, but the blueprints we’ve seen are incredibly exciting and align with our ambitions.
Red Sea Global is also a big player in Saudi Arabia’s tourism scene. How do you see AlUla and Red Sea complementing each other?
Red Sea Global and AlUla are beautifully complementary. They are also deeply committed to sustainability, much like us. Red Sea offers world-class luxury hotels with a strong emphasis on water-based adventures, while AlUla brings an entirely different offering — steeped in heritage, nature, and unique cultural experiences.
One key area we’re working on is improving connectivity between our destinations. I can’t share specifics yet, but we’re close to an announcement that will provide a faster alternative to the current 2.5-hour drive. We’re also exploring co-branded marketing initiatives, from familiarisation trips to joint campaigns, ensuring we support each other in offering seamless experiences for visitors.
The French connection is very important. Can you tell us more about this?
Absolutely, it’s very strong and exists as a bilateral government-to-government relationship. It was set up after the launch of AFALULA to explore how French expertise could be seamlessly integrated into the project. We’ve had some incredible collaborations with the French, ranging from artist residencies to facilitating Accor’s hotel deals.
For instance, we have Jean Nouvel, the acclaimed Pritzker-winning French architect, who is designing a significant new property in the Sharaan Nature Reserve. The French presence is everywhere — they’ve also been instrumental in taking our Moringa Peregrina product into trade channels in the cosmetics and perfumery industries. Their expertise has really elevated what we’re doing, and the collaboration has been highly fruitful.
If I’m a wealthy traveller looking to visit AlUla, what can I expect from your destination?
First of all, you’ll feel the weight of history. AlUla is a place with 200,000 years of human history and 7,000 years of continuous human civilisations. Every aspect of the destination reflects meticulous care in the protection, preservation, and interpretation of its heritage assets.
The natural landscapes are breathtaking — the lush, verdant green of the oasis runs like a spine through the region, contrasting against sandstone outcrops shaped by 900 million years of geology. This stunning setting lays the foundation for an extraordinary experience.
On top of that, the level of service provided by each hotel brand is exceptional, tailored to reflect the essence of luxury and hospitality. For instance, at the Chedi Hegra, you’ll find serene plunge pools and beautiful outdoor spaces. At Banyan Tree, the dining experience at the signature Thai restaurant Saffron offers spectacular views of Maraya, the largest mirrored building in the world and a multipurpose meetings and entertainment venue, which rises like a mirage in the desert.
The starry skies here possess an enchanting magic, further amplified by the recent recognition of two AlUla destinations as official Dark Sky Parks by DarkSky International. Immersive stargazing experiences offer a captivating touch, making this destination even more alluring. For me, it’s the combination of all these elements — the history, natural beauty, luxury, and sustainability — that appeals to not just the high-end luxury market, but also to discerning travellers looking for meaningful, unique experiences. Our sustainable approach truly sets us apart.
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