*RIYADH – Saudi Arabia said Friday it will offer tourist visas for thefirst time, opening up the kingdom to holidaymakers as part of a push todiversify its economy away from oil.*
Kickstarting tourism is one of the centerpieces of Crown Prince Mohammedbin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform programme to prepare the biggest Arabeconomy for a post-oil era.
The announcement comes just two weeks after devastating attacks on SaudiArabia’s oil infrastructure which roiled global energy markets and raisedfears of a wider regional conflict.
“Opening Saudi Arabia to international tourists is a historic moment forour country,” tourism chief Ahmed al-Khateeb said in a statement.
“Visitors will be surprised… by the treasures, we have to share — fiveUNESCO World Heritage Sites, a vibrant local culture and breathtakingnatural beauty.”
Saudi Arabia will open applications for online tourist visas to citizens of49 countries on Saturday, Bloomberg News quoted Khateeb as saying.
Khateeb said the kingdom will also ease its strict dress code for foreignwomen, allowing them to go without the body-shrouding abaya robe that isstill mandatory public wear for Saudi women.
Foreign women, however, will be required to wear “modest clothing”, headded, without elaborating.
Visas in the desert kingdom, endowed with rich bedouin heritage andarchaeological sites, are currently restricted to expat workers, theirdependents and Muslim pilgrims travelling for Hajj.Al-Ula, an area rich in archaeological remnants, is seen as a jewel in thecrown of future Saudi attractions
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In a rare move, Saudi Arabia last year also began issuing temporary visasto visitors to attend sporting and cultural events in a bid to kickstarttourism.
Fears of a regional conflict after the September 14 attacks on state oilgiant Aramco may also dampen the kingdom’s appeal to holidaymakers.
The government, reeling from low oil prices, says it hopes tourism willcontribute up to 10 percent of the gross domestic product by 2030, comparedto three percent currently.
It says by 2030 it aims to attract up to 100 million annual visits by bothdomestic and foreign tourists.
In 2017, the kingdom announced a multi-billion dollar project to turn 50islands and other pristine sites on the Red Sea into luxury resorts.
Last year, construction of Qiddiya “entertainment city” was launched nearRiyadh, which would include high-end theme parks, motor sport facilitiesand a safari area. -APP/AFP
