Saudi Arabia opens to tourists with investment appeal and no abaya rule

[JemJem]

No, thanks. I shall pass ????

 

But, of course, this 'no abaya' decision IS a step in the right direction. Hopefully, 'no hijab at all' will be the reality there in the not too distant future. But I sadly doubt it will happen.

[TantrikLvr]

oh yes! for some unique dream inducing memories, visit the capital or any other major city and go to the open central town square with all the public, to see someone, or a bunch of them (up to 10 in a day) beheaded, every other day! According to Wikipedia, at least 146 executions in 2017, 154 in 2016, 158 in 2015. 2018 had an increase of 70% it seems. This includes public Crucifixion for witchcraft, Apostasy (renouncing, leaving or criticizing Islam in public or online), Homosexuality, Drug smuggling, Blasphemy, Adultery, Sorcery or 'Waging war on God' as well as the other normal crimes like robbery, rape. The crime is only announced after the head rolls away.  They were the 'Head' of the Human Rights Council last year.. Civilized?? Barbarians!

Edited September 27, 2019 by TantrikLvr
further research

[kwonitoy]

I wouldn't go there if they paid me,

Oh wait a minute, they did just that, and when the money stops I can't get on a plane fast enough

A Cult that has a country IMHO

[Mick501]

How long til they can't help themselves and lop off a tourists head for kissing in public?u

Edited September 27, 2019 by Mick501
Typo

[Mick501]

47 minutes ago, TantrikLvr said:

oh yes! for some unique dream inducing memories, visit the capital or any other major city and go to the open central town square with all the public, to see someone, or a bunch of them (up to 10 in a day) beheaded, every other day! According to Wikipedia, at least 146 executions in 2017, 154 in 2016, 158 in 2015. 2018 had an increase of 70% it seems. This includes public Crucifixion for witchcraft, Apostasy (renouncing, leaving or criticizing Islam in public or online), Homosexuality, Drug smuggling, Blasphemy, Adultery, Sorcery or 'Waging war on God' as well as the other normal crimes like robbery, rape. The crime is only announced after the head rolls away.  They were the 'Head' of the Human Rights Council last year.. Civilized?? Barbarians!

What a sick joke and appalling reflection on the UN that was.   And they were laughably pointing the finger at other countries for human rights abuses.

[Srikcir]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

I promise them they will leave with great memories.

Free bone saw surgery?

[pegman]

9 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

Half a brain, that's not nice. I think he's great despite his confusion on issues.

I know your from the State of Alberta so I'll explain it slow like. It reads everyone with even half a brain, like the folks in the State of Alberta and their friends the Green People to their east, would, like him, know not to go to KSA. Although I could be giving you'll too much credit.

[lust]

Ain’t nobody wanna go to Saudi Arabia, you dummy Ahmed. My brother works there and is miserable. If it wasn’t for his job, he’d rather be literary anywhere. 

 

 

[Inn Between]

They should have saved this announcement for April 1. 

 

Tourism and Saudi Arabia !!!!!     

[55Jay]

For all you ex-Saudi contract guys, and would be tourists. 

 

 

[Creasy]

Saudia Arabia you say ?

 

The country which supplied the majority of the 9-11 hijackers.

A country which sends death squads internationally to butcher journalists who dare to criticise the regime.

A primitive country with biblical times laws with public beheadings and crucifixions .

 

It's a hard pass from me thanks.

[Tug]

Maybe go to see what hell looks and feels like?

[toast1]

Give the new boss some credit.

 

Things are changing fast, the country's opening up, it is coming in from the cold. The country is modernising at a rapid pace.

 

The younger generation is in charge.

 

I am no fan of the Saudis, a bad regime if ever one existed, it has exported fanaticism all over the globe.
But they are our ally, we don't get to just be friends with nice people.
MBS has changed things more than anyone could have imagined. 

 

Look what happened when Gaddafi came in from the cold, opened his country up, gave up his WMD and welcomed in the West; we went in there and bombed them to hell. The country is destroyed and Europe is flooded with immigrants. 

 

Better the devil you know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cryingdick]

I would go there for a couple of days if I were in the region anyway. So it is likely I will never go there at all. Same with NK I would spend a few days there. As far as the comments go I don't think KSA is looking for the 300 Baht a night fan room crowd. If I went I would have to stay in something pretty spectacular.

[canuckamuck]

5 hours ago, pegman said:

I know your from the State of Alberta so I'll explain it slow like. It reads everyone with even half a brain, like the folks in the State of Alberta and their friends the Green People to their east, would, like him, know not to go to KSA. Although I could be giving you'll too much credit.

I forgot y'all socialists don't have a sense of humor. 

[loong]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

The government wants to attract 100 million annual visits in 2030, up from about 40 million currently.

So Saudi has similar visitor figures as Thailand.

I can understand why so many would want to visit Thailand, but Saudi??

[Moonlover]

 

 

17 hours ago, Farma said:

Things are changing fast. You would see plenty of changes if you traveled back again. Women driving, women manning check outs, cinemas in shopping malls, concerts on the corniche, lack of mutawas on the streets, shops open during prayer time, men wearing shorts and womens with uncovered faces in coloured clothing.

 

There was articles in the papers during national day last week where they want Saudi to go back to the 1979 lifestyle like Iran was before the Shah was disposed.

 

Its not perfect but give it time for people to adjust. The younger ones want change.

Great to hear this, thank you. The groundswell for change was very apparent even back in the 1990s when I spent most of my time there.

 

Three big changes came about during that period. Satellite TV, mobile phones and finally the internet. These 3 heralded the changes in the same way that the printing press heralded the reformation in Europe.

 

I would love to visit there again, just witness these changes for myself.

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

20 hours ago, timendres said:

Would rather be strapped to a red ant nest.

Why. Ever been there?

I've travelled extensively in Saudi, and it has many amazing destinations well worth seeing.

Most are in the Jeddah region which has always been more friendly to foreigners than the east coast.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, loong said:

So Saudi has similar visitor figures as Thailand.

I can understand why so many would want to visit Thailand, but Saudi??

Most of those visitors are there for the Haj. Far as I know they don't get to go sightseeing around the kingdom.

Travel in the kingdom when I was there was closely controlled and one needed a permit before going.

If they are opening it up, it will, IMO, be for groups with a guide going to specific locations, as it was for us. Can't see them letting people wander unrestricted.

[metisdead]

An off topic trolling post has been removed. 

[Farma]

Looking at the visa website it appears they only require over 18 unless accompanied, a accomodation booking address only and return ticket. https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/about-evisa.html

 

There appears to be no restriction on travel including women. Muslim only in Mecca and Medina.

 

The empty quarter is worth seeing along with fantastic diving spots in the red sea.

 

I can see a lot of expats bringing wives out for visits using this tourist visa. Its a lot cheaper than the normal visa with its associated monthly dependents tax. Unfortunately Thailand isn't on the 49 country list.

 

 

Edited September 28, 2019 by Farma

[thaibeachlovers]

6 minutes ago, Farma said:

Looking at the visa website it appears they only require over 18 unless accompanied, a accomodation booking address only and return ticket. https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/about-evisa.html

 

There appears to be no restriction on travel including women. Muslim only in Mecca and Medina.

 

The empty quarter is worth seeing along with fantastic diving spots in the red sea.

 

I can see a lot of expats bringing wives out for visits using this tourist visa. Its a lot cheaper than the normal visa with its associated monthly dependents tax. Unfortunately Thailand isn't on the 49 country list.

 

 

Interesting, but only a fool would arrive in the kingdom, rent a 4x4 and drive off in the desert without knowing the dangers and being equipped for a breakdown.

I can't see a load of infidels being allowed to wander about. No matter how liberal those in Riyadh may be, the people in small towns may take a dim view of infidel women driving around in scanty clothing.

The Iranians overthrew the Shah because he moved too fast to westernise the country, and the ordinary people disagreed.

[Chomper Higgot]

20 hours ago, Moonlover said:

I spent 15 years working in KSA and travelled around quite a bit during that period. Obviously, it's not the kind of destination that will suit everyone and certainly not the kind of keyboard warriors who will undoubtedly chime on this thread from their bar stools.

 

But I loved it there and had many memorable experiences. I am pleased to see that the country is opening up at last. Saudis are actually very friendly and hospitable people and I'm sure they will go to great lengths to make their news guests welcome.

I second that and add my observation that not only were the Saudi Arabians I met and worked with extremely hospitable, they are very western orientated and eager for contact with western expats.

 

I wish Saudi Arabia the best in this opening up, it can only be a good thing.

 

 

[spidermike007]

I would consider visiting Saudi Arabia. For 48 hours, if someone paid me $15,000 and covered all my expenses, and business class tickets. That might be what it takes for them to attract tourism. Perhaps they do not realize how toxic their brand is? Perhaps they do not know that we know MBS is a serial killing thug? That we find  Wahhabism to be utterly repulsive, and the polar opposite of spirituality? And And that few support their continued support of terror, through the funding of the extremist Madrasa schools? And the extreme level of intolerance they practice? Perhaps they have no idea how unappealing Sharia law is to nearly the entire planet? 

[Chomper Higgot]

6 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Interesting, but only a fool would arrive in the kingdom, rent a 4x4 and drive off in the desert without knowing the dangers and being equipped for a breakdown.

I can't see a load of infidels being allowed to wander about. No matter how liberal those in Riyadh may be, the people in small towns may take a dim view of infidel women driving around in scanty clothing.

The Iranians overthrew the Shah because he moved too fast to westernise the country, and the ordinary people disagreed.

Because Saudi Arabia and Iran are the same?!

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I would consider visiting Saudi Arabia. For 48 hours, if someone paid me $15,000 and covered all my expenses, and business class tickets. That might be what it takes for them to attract tourism. Perhaps they do not realize how toxic their brand is? Perhaps they do not know that we know MBS is a serial killing thug? That we find  Wahhabism to be utterly repulsive, and the polar opposite of spirituality? And And that few support their continued support of terror, through the funding of the extremist Madrasa schools? And the extreme level of intolerance they practice? Perhaps they have no idea how unappealing Sharia law is to nearly the entire planet? 

None of that makes any difference to any of the thousands of westerners that work there.

Saudi has many amazing places to visit, and I made the most of my time there to visit as many as possible.

[Moonlover]

33 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I would consider visiting Saudi Arabia. For 48 hours, if someone paid me $15,000 and covered all my expenses, and business class tickets. That might be what it takes for them to attract tourism. Perhaps they do not realize how toxic their brand is? Perhaps they do not know that we know MBS is a serial killing thug? That we find  Wahhabism to be utterly repulsive, and the polar opposite of spirituality? And And that few support their continued support of terror, through the funding of the extremist Madrasa schools? And the extreme level of intolerance they practice? Perhaps they have no idea how unappealing Sharia law is to nearly the entire planet? 

28 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

None of that makes any difference to any of the thousands of westerners that work there.

Saudi has many amazing places to visit, and I made the most of my time there to visit as many as possible.

Quite correct. And when you read many of the caustic comments about Thailand on TVF, is it any wonder that you will come across trash like this from folks who have, no doubt, never visited KSA?

 

Anyway, no matter, here are a few of the amazing places one can visit. I was pleased to see the Al Wabhah Crater listed. It is one of the most amazing naturals feature I have ever seen. Yes, me and my family have stood right there on the saltpan in the middle. Awesome place.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-49850056

 

[Chomper Higgot]

36 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

None of that makes any difference to any of the thousands of westerners that work there.

Saudi has many amazing places to visit, and I made the most of my time there to visit as many as possible.

I spent a little over two years in SA and very much enjoyed my time there.

 

My observation of expats in SA is they fell into two broad groups, those who made the best of there time there, took time to see and learn about the country, it’s people, history, culture, food and those who ticked days off their calendar waiting to ‘escape’.

 

I shared an office with one of the latter, he nothing but bad things to say about SA and the people, but in the two years we shared an office I never once witnessed him have a bad experience with a Saudi. His own attitude was ruining two years of his life.

 

I’m very grateful for my time in SA, it was hugely rewarding for me, both personally and financially.

 

 

[Chazar]

Thais  will need to remove their amulets

 

All types of statues or objects of human or animal form which might be used for religious purposes and worship such as Buddha figurines, religious carvings, altars etc. *Does not include kids toys such as stuffed animals, dolls.

[Chazar]

13 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I never once witnessed him have a bad experience with a Saudi. His own attitude was ruining two years of his life.

perhaps he had a conscience?