To reach all 195 countries is officially one step easier. For the first time, Saudi Arabia will open its doors to tourist travelers. Historically, travel to Saudi Arabia was limited to those with business visas, pilgrimage, and people visiting family members. The regulations have been loosened for passport holders of certain counties. These include the United States, all the Schengen EU countries, Australia and Japan. Saudi Arabia is open to tourists from South Korea, South Africa, Brunei, Malaysia, and Singapore.
The head of Saudi tourism, Prince Sultan bin Salman stated that the goal was to target those who “want to experience this country” and its grandness. Grandness it certainly has. Saudi Arabia is the thirteenth-largest country in the world and the land of Mecca and Medina, two significant religious pilgrimages. There is also change in the air. Saudi Arabia has one of the youngest populations in the world. Approximately 50% of the Saudi population is under 25 years old. Not to mention the food, which is the ubiquitous two-thousand-year old Saudi cuisine. It’s a cultural expeirence itself to try traditional dishes such as Kabsa, Fatir, and the Laban drink. To sweeten the pot, so to speak, the Four Seasons opened recently. For those who are Four Seasons fans, this adds to the list of reasons to travel to this part of the world.
The Kingdom is on target to reach 30 million annual tourists by 2030. So Saudi Arabia is open to tourists, and ready to expand its tourist industry. From the early reports, the world is ready for Saudi.
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