AlUla Becomes 1st Destination in Middle East to be Certified by Destinations International

The accomplishment is part of the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP). SPA
The accomplishment is part of the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP). SPA
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AlUla Becomes 1st Destination in Middle East to be Certified by Destinations International

The accomplishment is part of the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP). SPA
The accomplishment is part of the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP). SPA

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla has received accreditation from Destinations International, a US-based organization, making it the first destination in the Middle East to receive the certification.

The accomplishment is part of the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP), which serves as a benchmark for destination marketing organizations to measure quality and professionalism, AlUla announced Thursday.

The accreditation comes one year after AlUla successfully joined Destinations International as the first entity from the Middle East, it said.
Since opening its doors to visitors four years ago, AlUla has established itself as one of the most significant tourism sites in the Kingdom, especially with the introduction of a year-round events calendar.

"Completing the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program is a significant milestone for AlUla. We strive to develop AlUla's tourism industry and ecosystem to be best-in-class,” said Chief Tourism Officer at the Royal Commission for AlUla Philip Jones.

Jones added: "This accreditation reaffirms our commitment to ensuring the highest standards in our destination and strengthening trust among visitors, stakeholders, and partners. We hope that being part of Destinations International, home to best practices, will enable us to share our unique approach with the world and highlight everything that makes AlUla one of the world's leading luxury destinations today."

To obtain Destination Marketing accreditation, over one hundred performance standards in areas including governance, stakeholder engagement, financial management, and destination development must be met. These standards are set by an independent committee of industry experts representing a wide range of destination organizations and are updated periodically to reflect the evolution of best practices in the sector.



Elizabeth Strout, Miranda July are Among Finalists for the Women's Prize for Fiction

Yael Van Der Wouden arrives at the Booker Prize award dinner in London, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (ΑΡ Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)
Yael Van Der Wouden arrives at the Booker Prize award dinner in London, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (ΑΡ Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)
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Elizabeth Strout, Miranda July are Among Finalists for the Women's Prize for Fiction

Yael Van Der Wouden arrives at the Booker Prize award dinner in London, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (ΑΡ Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)
Yael Van Der Wouden arrives at the Booker Prize award dinner in London, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (ΑΡ Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)

American authors Elizabeth Strout and Miranda July are among finalists announced Wednesday for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, alongside four debut novelists exploring the search for freedom in different countries and cultures.

Pulitzer Prize winner Strout’s Maine-set mystery novel “Tell Me Everything” and writer'-filmmaker July’s “All Fours,” in which a “semi-famous artist” seeks a new life, are shortlisted for the 30,000 pound ($39,000) prize. It's open to female English-language writers from any country.

The contenders also include Dutch writer Yael van der Wouden’s postwar story “The Safekeep” and German-born poet Aria Aber’s novel “Good Girl,” about a teenager exploring her dual German-Afghan heritage.

Also on the list are Iran-born writer Sanam Mahloudji’s intergenerational family saga “The Persians,” and “Fundamentally” by Britain's Nussaibah Younis, about an academic trying to rehabilitate women caught up with ISIS, The AP news reported.

Author Kit de Waal, who is chairing the panel of judges, said that the six books were “classics of the future” that explored “the importance of human connection.”

“What is surprising and refreshing is to see so much humor, nuance and lightness employed by these novelists to shed light on challenging concepts,” she said.

Previous winners of the fiction prize, founded in 1996, include Zadie Smith, Tayari Jones and Barbara Kingsolver.

Last year, award organizers launched a companion Women’s Prize for Nonfiction to help rectify an imbalance in publishing. In 2022, only 26.5% of nonfiction books reviewed in Britain’s newspapers were by women, and male writers dominated established nonfiction writing prizes.

Winners of both nonfiction and fiction prizes will be announced on June 12 at a ceremony in London.