Saudi Arabia to open a visa free destination where the usual conservative laws may be lifted

Saudi Arabia wants to turn hundreds of kilometers of its Red Sea coastline into a global tourism destination governed by laws “on par with international standards” as part of its plan to transform the economy and reduce its reliance on oil.

A tourist visits Mada'in Saleh, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Saudi Arabia.

Photographer: Vivian Nereim/Bloomberg

The project will cover 50 islands and 34,000 square kilometers -- an area bigger than Belgium -- between the cities of Umluj and Al Wajh to attract “luxury travelers from around the globe,” according to an official statement sent to Bloomberg on Tuesday. It will be developed by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, with the first work expected in two years.
Bringing sun-seekers to Saudi beaches could transform a tourism industry that relies almost solely on Muslim pilgrims visiting holy shrines in Mecca and Medina. But while the announcement emphasized the economic benefits, past mega-projects to diversify the economy have struggled to get off the ground, and questions are likely to be raised over how acceptable the plan is to the kingdom’s influential religious establishment.
“If you can’t change restrictions on alcohol and dress, that market disappears,” said Crispin Hawes, London-based managing director at Teneo Intelligence, referring to foreign tourists.
Tourists will either not require a visa or will be able to obtain one online. One of the documents referred to the project as a “semi-autonomous” area governed “by independent laws and a regulatory framework developed and managed by a private committee,” a sign that it could ease strict rules applied elsewhere in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom’s austere interpretation of Sunni Islam bans alcohol, imposes a dress code, limits gender mixing and prevents women from driving cars.

Saudi Arabia announces The Red Sea Project, an exotic eco-resort across a lagoon of 50 virgin islands –groundbreaking,2019#TheRedSeaProject pic.twitter.com/Psc0F83Xu1

— مشروع البحر الأحمر (@TheRedSeaSA) August 1, 2017