The St. Regis Red Sea Resort, part of a tourism megaproject being developed by state-run Red Sea Global, hosted a fashion show last month featuring women wearing modest swimwear – a notable departure from the kingdom’s strict conservative dress norms. Saudi women typically wear concealing black abaya gowns, though this dress code has been relaxed for foreign visitors.
The introduction of entertainment hubs like Red Sea Global and the Qiddiya project near Riyadh “may also incorporate more liberal amenities to cater to international visitors while balancing religious sensitivities”, said Saudi political commentator Salman al-Ansari. “Any such changes will likely be carefully managed to ensure they align with Saudi societal values,” he told This Week in Asia. Previously a closed society that only allowed foreign Muslim pilgrims visiting Mecca and Medina to enter, Saudi Arabia began offering tourist visas in 2019 and the nationals of 63 countries are now eligible to visit for 90 days.
Domestic tourism has soared since the kingdom began investing heavily in the sector under the Vision 2030 plan launched in 2016. The value of arts and entertainment activities more than doubled between 2020 and 2022, while food and accommodation spending increased by 77 per cent, according to a ministry of economy and planning report issued in March. This growth was driven in part by an influx of foreign firms and professionals into Riyadh and the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, drawn by ma.
