CASE STUDY: SAUDI ARABIA
By 2030, Saudi Arabia plans to become a major international tourism destination, with an ambitious target of 100 million inbound visitors per year. This will be no mean feat for a Gamma Destination that only began issuing tourist visas in 2019 – and since autumn 2022, people from the UK, US and EU have been able to easily get one on arrival.
Central to the country’s transformation will be a slew of mind-blowing “giga projects” (such as “smart city” Neom) that will firmly put Saudi Arabia on the map as an emerging luxury travel destination. And with the help of partnerships with key travel companies such as Pelorus, who believe in the power of tourism as a force for good, travellers from around the world will soon be able to discover that this multifaceted destination offers so much more than they assumed.
Although alcohol will remain off limits, more liberal resort enclaves are being developed for travellers to relax and rejuvenate (women will be able to wear swimming costumes, for example). Even in the rest of the country, women (both locals and visitors) no longer have to be fully covered with an abaya and headscarf. The dress code is far more relaxed than you’d expect but people still need to dress modestly.
From next year, a major draw will be the Red Sea Project, which is already well underway. The first resorts to debut will be from Rosewood and Ritz-Carlton Reserve. By the end of 2023, there will be a total of 16 hotels representing every major luxury brand, from Six Senses, Edition and St Regis to SLS, Fairmont and Raffles. Providing easy access to the destination, the Red Sea International airport will also be opening in a matter of months. Local airline Saudia is also planning to operate flights from Neom to London.