Recently, a press release that hit my inbox brought up some interesting questions. On the surface, the news was hardly earth-shattering: For the first time ever, tour operators are offering travel options focused on Saudi Arabia’s winter season. These trips include a few surprising activities — such as sledding in the mountains — as well as taking advantage of the cooler temperatures to explore the desert. While the release was intriguing, it got me thinking about how I really feel about promoting travel to Saudi Arabia.
As I’ve said many times in this column, I fully believe that the best way to encourage openness in a society is to expose its citizens to people from around the world. Tourists don’t just bring cash; they import their own cultural views and expectations, and they leave some of their customs and beliefs behind when the trip is over. Travel opens minds to new ways of looking at the world — for both the visitors and the hosts.
On the other hand, there’s no doubt that the government of Saudi Arabia is repressive when it comes to human rights. Its leaders are responsible for torturing activists, as well as for the murder of U.S. journalist Jamal Khashoggi, among other actions. It would be wrong to simply give them a pass.
Yet Saudi Arabia’s new push for tourism is an unmistakable sign of progress as it looks to adapt to the modern world. While female visitors will be required to cover their shoulders and knees, they will no longer have to wear the full-body abaya. (In fact, the website promoting winter tourism in Saudi Arabia has a photo of two couples in Western attire frolicking happily in the snow.) Public displays of affection are still forbidden, but the government says it is committed to promoting an overall spirit of hospitality in the country.
Ultimately, how you feel about sending your clients to the kingdom probably depends on how optimistic you are about the ability of travel to foster change. It’s my hope that through tourism, Saudi Arabia will realize that progress is not the enemy.
