Until 2019, visas to enter Saudi Arabia were mainly limited to pilgrims and foreign workers, but the country is now hoping to attract tourists as part of an effort to diversify its oil-dependent economy. Lisa Grainger of The Sunday Times points out that while the country’s dismal human rights record may be daunting, there have been some improvements. Amnesty International still reports arbitrary detentions, death sentences for human rights activists, and other horrific incidents, there have been no public beheadings in Riyadh’s “mausoleum-like” Deira (or “Chop-Chop”) Square since 2022, and women can now drive cars without a male escort.
As a Zimbabwean, I had “seen first-hand the negative effects of international isolation on the country” and so decided to visit. My visa application said I had to respect the country’s “Islamic traditions” – that meant “covering my body” and abstaining from alcohol – but I was allowed to wear a swimsuit at the pool, leave my head uncovered and travel with a male Saudi Arabian guide.
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