Saudi Vision 2030, an economic diversification plan that was launched back in 2016, already changed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in numerous tangible ways. The Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is leading this ambitious project, in an attempt to reduce the reliance of the Kingdom on revenues from its oil industry. Tourism, which was mostly limited to Muslim pilgrims until recently, stood out as one of the more fitting industries to develop in order to help diversify the Saudi economy, which in turn led to a few significant changes within the country. In this article, as someone who managed to visit it twice before the end of 2025, I will briefly share my own observations on just how the Kingdom is changing to fulfill some of its long-term economic goals.
Relaxed Visa Policies
In a world where visa free access, e-Visas, and visas on arrival are slowly becoming the norm, every year fewer countries actually force you to secure a traditional visa before visiting them. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was an extreme example of such a country before 2019. Extreme because they practically lacked a suitable tourist visa category before then. This visa policy changed in 2019 and continues to evolve in a way that makes visiting the Kingdom easier for millions every year. Citizens of some countries can now apply for a Saudi tourist visa online, and all that is required is filling in a very straightforward form and paying a fee. This is a convenient system that works well and quickly. You can have your e-visa ready months before flying off to the Kingdom, and you can often get it on the same day you applied for one. In fact, this seemingly simple change is what put the Kingdom on my radar in the first place. I wanted to visit the Saudi domains for a very long time, but I always knew that I technically could not do so freely, unless I wanted to do something rather illegal, such as abusing a business visa for not so business-y business… The Saudi state suddenly welcoming tourists like this was all the reason I needed to go pay them a visit as soon as I could. I suppose we can say that the relaxation of visa policies alone can lead to some curious travellers happily make their way to the Kingdom, just as intended.
A Multifaceted Tourism Strategy
However, making it convenient for people to visit your country is one thing, keeping them satisfied once they are there and ensuring that they would want to come back again is another. Well, to make sure that their guests are happy, the Kingdom invested and continues to invest billions of USD in projects that help turn it into a renowned entertainment center. Most crucially, when I was in the Kingdom, I realized that there was an actual effort to provide something for everyone, which is probably the costliest but potentially the safest strategy to follow in order to put the Kingdom on the maps of all sorts of travellers. For example, while it is not my cup of tea, one can enjoy plenty of sports tournaments in the Kingdom today. Also, certain world-famous entertainment brands, such as the WWE, already set up shop in the heart of Riyadh. What is more to my liking is the proliferation of new theme parks with interesting food courts. Riyadh is especially full of such spaces. It is just so nice to be able to spend some of your evenings in a theme park like the Boulevard World, where you get to enjoy pavilions themed after a select few cultures whilst enjoying unique dishes from their cuisines. Such spaces were already overflowing with people as well, both tourists and locals alike. In other words, these are rather entertaining venues for many, and that is by design.
However, personally, as a historian, what really impressed me the most in the Kingdom were not these fancier investments, but the humbler museums, and their excellent staff. I have not been to a single museum in Saudi Arabia that did not have some stellar folks working in it. These are the sort of places where you feel like you can connect with the locals and the Saudi culture. Saudi history, culture, and geography are illustrated beautifully in the Kingdom’s numerous museums, and the staff makes sure that you also witness their hospitality firsthand! Plenty of museums welcome you with some tasty Arabic coffee and dates, as well as a healthy supply of bottled water. You are almost never asked to pay to visit these museums as well, effectively turning them into must see places even for those who do not normally enjoy museums to begin with. Just give them a go, the worst-case scenario is meeting a friendly local gentleman and chatting with them over some free coffee. You cannot possibly regret that…
At this point, I should note that while you can find out a lot about what the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia offers to its visitors by reading my previous articles on the country, you cannot fully appreciate how fun it actually feels to wander around the Kingdom, as I can only write so much about the vibes of it all. Saudis are truly as friendly and jolly as it gets, which is really what makes a trip to the Kingdom quite special. Starting from the officers at the airport, you will be greeted with smiles and curious questions all around the Kingdom, and at times it feels like you can pretty much strike up a conversation with anyone you see on the street. The overall ambience is quite laidback, which shocks some visitors at first, but this quickly becomes a favourite part of your stay as well. While Saudi Vision 2030 mostly revolves around investing into massive projects, I cannot help but think that the true cultural capital of the Kingdom is its people, and that people may be the key to attracting even more travellers to opt for Saudi Arabia the next time they leave their homes.
A Note on Social Norms
While many write about how fast the Saudi society is changing these days, fewer take the time to write about the nuances of this change. It is true that today Saudi women are a bigger part of the workforce than they once were, that there are now more foreigners that live within the Saudi society, and that the likes of cinemas are more readily available across the Kingdom. However, it would be mistaken to read such changes purely politically and argue that the entire country is currently undergoing westernization. From my observations in Riyadh, Medina, Mecca, and Jeddah, I can say that the family-centric Saudi culture, with an emphasis on the centrality of religion to everyday life, remains the backbone of how the Saudi society functions today. Most of the recent changes come in the form of alterations to some locals’ lives, and not a clear departure from rooted traditions. On a related note, due to their piety, life more or less stops five times a day when Saudis pray at a nearby mosque. In fact, whenever a mosque seemed too far away, such as when one is riding a car on a highway, I saw some locals (even the police) simply park their cars as soon as they hear the call for prayer and then pray in a small congregation on the roadside. Moreover, plenty of establishments simply close temporarily before a prayer, and reopen sometime after. Due to Islam commanding Friday to be an off day, even the official weekend is different from most of the world in the Kingdom, with Friday and Saturday being the weekend, and Sunday functioning as the first day of the week. Do keep these in mind while creating your itinerary!
With all of that being said, some things do change. For example, traveling in the Kingdom as a solo male traveller did become significantly easier over the last few years, or at least that is what I have been told. Apparently, at some point, it was not possible to enter some parks in Riyadh if you were just a single guy, and even some malls did not accept such visitors. I was not denied entry anywhere I visited in the Kingdom, and in fact, I was often welcomed with a smile. Moreover, some family oriented activities started to open up for everyone, and almost all the restaurants I visited accepted single diners, sometimes in separate areas, sometimes in the common area where the families also dine in. Nevertheless, I did fit in better when I came back to Saudi Arabia for a second time, but this time with my mother and uncle. That is because while the Saudi authorities are loosening the rules to make life more enjoyable for singles as well, I do think that the majority of events and celebrations, as well as portion sizes in restaurants, are planned with bigger groups in mind. This is something to consider if you are interested in visiting the Kingdom as a solo traveller. You can most certainly do it, I did that and enjoyed it for over a week in Riyadh, but you just might have a more fulfilling experience if you come here with your own family, or perhaps as a group of friends.
Conclusion
Today, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the very few countries that can offer their visitors all three crucial elements that make a trip exceptional in my humble opinion: comfort, entertainment, and uniqueness. It has never been easier to get a Saudi tourist visa, buy a cheap plane ticket, arrange for accommodation in the Kingdom, and move around the country than it is today. Indubitably, the Kingdom never offered this many entertainment options to its visitors than it does today as well. Last but certainly not least, with widespread globalization, there are not that many countries left on this planet which offer a truly special experience to their visitors. The way the Kingdom mixes local traditions, Saudi hospitality, a rather unique geography as well as an exceptional history, and presents them all with the help of modern technologies and amenities, does put it in that ever-so-precious category of countries that still offer something new and exciting to their visitors.
As a result, unlike most other countries I visited and wrote about for the Wondering Voyager, my trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia did not only entertain me, but it also helped me unwind. This is most unusual, given how busy my itineraries often are, and how difficult it can be to get even the simpler things done in a foreign country. Well, if you do not mind using a translation app every now and then, there really is nothing difficult about wandering around Saudi Arabia for most people. Well, I suppose it does help that the locals seem to be just genuinely friendly in the Kingdom, and the society at large is just naturally safe and worry free. As I (sadly) near the end of this series on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, next week, we will succinctly go over all my travels around the Kingdom, in yet another country guide where I will share a few more tips and tricks about traveling to the Kingdom, and making the best of your time once you are there.