In our latest cover story, I share the reactions of a group of travel advisors who recently returned from a trip to “the Kingdom.” As I say in the story, the overriding response after returning from the visit is surprise — nearly all the advisors said the trip defied their expectations of the destination.
Saudi Arabia is in the midst of a transformation as part of its Vision 2030 initiative, designed to reimagine the future of the country. Saudi’s tourism goals are part of this plan; it calls for 100 million new visits, for tourism to contribute 10% to the country’s GDP and for the creation of 1 million tourism jobs. A recent headline announced that the tourism ministry is launching a program designed to train 100,000 young Saudi men and women in hospitality, the largest such initiative in the world.
Saudi Arabia has the power to capture the imagination of your clients. Exotic, historic, culturally rich — these are terms that come to mind regarding the destination. And, after my recent visit, I would add “welcoming” to that list, as well.
There will be many who are skeptical about the true commitment of Saudi leadership to change — and that is understandable. The Kingdom has not always been a positive actor on the world stage. Skepticism is a healthy response to these grand pronouncements. However, there is no doubt that the potential for change — if true — is exciting to consider.
Beyond the obvious financial opportunities that increased tourism to Saudi Arabia would bring, I think most of us know that travel also creates understanding between cultures. Once a country opens itself to the world, change takes on a life of its own — a wave of mutual understanding that can be ridden, but never stopped.
And, to paraphrase one of the advisors quoted in the story: “This is why we travel,” after all.
