Unveiling the New Face of Saudi Arabia: A Traveler's Journey into Transformation
Up until late last year, Saudi Arabia wasn't on my travel radar – a country often synonymous with terrorism, stringent Islamic laws, and high-profile incidents like the Jamal Khashoggi murder. But life, like travel, is full of surprises.
I met someone in Cairo who had recently attended a music festival in Saudi Arabia, prompting me to consider the country, which began opening its doors to tourists from 49 primarily Western countries in 2019, as a potential destination during a recent three-week trip across the Balkans and the Middle East. Fast forward to now, and I've just returned from a four-day visit to Jeddah and Riyadh, completely captivated by a country amidst a fascinating period of transformation.
As I boarded my flight to Jeddah, I was struck by the sight of Saudi women wearing pants and with long, uncovered hair. This marked my first clue to the country's unfolding metamorphosis. Unlike the neighboring UAE, where locals make up only 11% of the population, Saudi Arabia is majority Saudi – including many of the Uber drivers and service workers I encountered.
The liberalization of daily life in the Kingdom has been driven by 37-year-old Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). His reforms have brought expanded liberties for women, such as the right to drive, divorce, travel without a male guardian’s consent, uncover their hair in public, and participate fully in the workforce alongside men. Even men now enjoy new freedoms, including the right to wear shorts in public and enter shopping malls previously reserved for families and women.
MBS' Vision 2030 aims to diversify the Saudi economy, emphasizing entertainment, culture, and tourism. Resultantly, movie theaters are blossoming across the country, and massive music festivals like MDLBEAST are showcasing hundreds of international DJs, attracting primarily Saudi audiences in the hundreds of thousands.
In Riyadh, I visited Alsafat Square, known among Westerners as “Chop Chop Square”, where public beheadings took place up until two years ago. In stark contrast to such chilling memories, the vibrant and changing daily life in Saudi Arabia was best exemplified when I met Abdul, a young Saudi man who introduced himself over cappuccinos. He's one of the many Saudis who studied in the United States, courtesy of the Saudi government, and our conversation flowed seamlessly between the nation's past and future, ending in an exchange of phone numbers and an invitation to a traditional Saudi musical performance.
Despite still-developing tourism infrastructure, Saudi Arabia offered a glimpse into a society on the brink of exciting transformations, reminiscent of Eastern Europe in the 1990s post the fall of the Berlin Wall. As an early adopter of Saudi tourism, I felt a sense of novelty and found myself amidst numerous opportunities to engage with everyday Saudis eager to share their narratives of drastic, positive life changes.
Now is a unique moment in history to visit Saudi Arabia. The locals' hospitality surpassed anything I've experienced in my travels across 80 countries. So, if you've ever considered adding Saudi Arabia to your travel list – now's the time. Get ready for a journey of history, transformation, and incredible human connection.