Although Israel and Saudi Arabia have not remotely normalized their relations, and Saudi Arabia insistently joined the widespread condemnation in the Arab world on Tuesday against National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir of the Temple Mount, reports of Israeli businessmen running and meeting in Riyadh have been on the rise in recent times.
Joseph Fischer’s party is a good example.
At the beginning of December, one of the most prestigious tourism conferences in the world, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) World Summit, was held in the Saudi capital. Among the 5,000 participants was Israeli tourism specialist Fischer.
During his stay in Saudi Arabia, Fischer did not hide his nationality or limit himself to convention facilities. On the contrary, he toured and conversed with the locals. And although he entered the country on a non-Israeli passport, his identity page obviously read: “Born in Tel Aviv. “
Even in the absence of formal ties between the Saudi kingdom and the Jewish state, in the years since the signing of the Abraham Accords in September 2020, small incremental adjustments have occurred. Israeli advertising planes began flying in Saudi skies in the direction of Bahrain. , India and the United Arab Emirates; A dozen Israeli business leaders have publicly visited the country; a Jewish-American businessman embarked on a road from Dubai to Jerusalem via Riyadh; And several Israeli bloodhounds were allowed to enter the country and document their visits.
And in another small step, Fischer joined the WTTC summit in Riyadh, after contacting the organizers through 4Hoteliers, an English-language online page founded in Hong Kong through which he advertises, to ensure in advance that there would be no challenge with his participation. (He sure there wouldn’t be any. )
“There’s a big structure of tourism infrastructure on a scale that the world hasn’t noticed in decades,” Fischer reported in a recent interview with The Times of Israel. “The Saudis are making plans for large-scale projects: big, expensive and ostentatious. “
Saudi Arabia ranks 14th globally in geographical terms and has 35 million citizens. It is estimated that in the coming years, the country will invest $6 billion in tourism.
“They’re talking about building a ski hotel in the desert that will charge millions of dollars. It’s hotels under construction, attractions, new roads and the huge allocation of the Red Sea: an entire district that will be committed to tourism, separate from the state. “, and stretch from Aqaba in the north to the southern tip of the Red Sea, Fischer explains.
However, Saudi Arabia until recently was notoriously complicated for tourists of all nationalities. Muslims were allowed to participate in the Hajj pilgrimage and other devout purposes, but it wasn’t until 2019 that the country began issuing tourist visas for the first time in its history.
The timing is no coincidence. In 2016, the country’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (often known by his initials, MBS) announced a new timeline for the country, dubbed Saudi Vision 2030, which includes ambitious targets for immediate expansion in the tourism sector. For years, Saudi Arabia has sought its dependence on crude exports. Thus, according to the plan, within a decade, tourism will account for 10% of the gross domestic product of the kingdom and will employ at least 1 million people.
To achieve its goal of attracting one hundred million tourists by 2030, the country facilitates access with digitally received visas. It has also presented a number of new and ambitious projects, adding large airports, new cities, beaches, national parks, entertainment centers. and, of course, many hotels: some of those projects have been suspended due to COVID-19. But not anymore.
The Red Sea allocation covers 10,800 square miles of islands, beaches, deserts and mountains. It will come with around 3,000 hotel rooms, its own airport, marinas, and a grocery shopping district. The kingdom expects this destination to attract 1 million tourists a year. .
“The scope of those projects is why the WTTC met in Riyadh this year,” says Fischer. original house of the Saudi royal circle of relatives – a site identified by UNESCO, built with adobe structures. The Saudis anticipate that this site will welcome millions of visitors each year as a “living museum” where tourists will walk through the remains of the old city, stopping at museums, cafes, department stores and other attractions.
But the kingdom’s big push to expand its tourism industry is getting its share of criticism, adding to allegations of human rights abuses.
While Riyadh citizens cannot be legally evicted to accommodate sprawling tourist sites, foreign media reported that in the country’s largest city, Jeddah, substandard citizens and migrants were evicted from their homes just 24 hours in advance to make way for hotels. entertainment venues. Amnesty International has released satellite images showing the removal of around 66 residential neighbourhoods in what it called a human rights violation.
The Times of Israel spoke to Fischer by phone shortly after returning from his trip to the Saudi kingdom. The following interview has been translated from the original into Hebrew and edited for clarity.
The Times of Israel: The Saudis have reportedly evicted citizens from their homes to build such large-scale tourism projects.
Joseph Fischer: As we were told at the conference, “There is one thing we have: an excess of empty land. We don’t want to deport anyone. Diriyah is a task of recovering the ruins of the region.
While in Riyadh, what did you see? It is a country where alcohol is banned and women do not have the same status. How will they manage to be a top tourist attraction?
I can tell you that I have noticed that women drive alone. I saw women walking alone. I talked to women on the bus on the way to their destination. They were open and talked about economy and tourism. They wore hijabs covering their hair. and necks, leaving their faces visible.
With so many foreign personnel needed to carry out such large-structure projects, there is rarely a negative effect in Saudi Arabia, as the residential spaces of foreign staff suffer more poverty and crime, as has been the case in other countries.
The Saudis are bringing in millions in infrastructure, catering and medicine. They come from the Philippines, Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. As for safety, I also walked at night, walked and felt safe. The Saudis have strict law enforcement. , so he was not involved in street crimes.
Will the Saudis allow tourists to consume alcohol?
We did this consultation at the conference. We told the representative of the Ministry of Tourism that alcohol is served in the Gulf and Egypt, so how is Saudi Arabia going to compete with them?He replied that, first of all, they would not replace his alcohol. – Free politics, but they said they would review it later. I tend for the allocation of the Red Sea to take an exclusive approach, similar to how the island of Macau exists separate from China with other policies.
The Saudis have set out to attract a hundred million tourists by 2030. Does that sound realistic?
That’s his pass. According to them, 30 to 40 million tourists will arrive as part of the Hajj pilgrimage. In addition, they will succeed with another 60-70 million tourists from the West, China and India in regions such as Neom New City, Red Sea Project. , the city of Jeddah and trips to the mountains. There are many other attractions, such as the Al-‘Ula area, which is in Petra in Jordan, but much larger. position before the global total finds out it’s exciting.
Is there any way for Israel’s tourism industry to take advantage of all those large-scale investments, or is the country completely blocked because, after all, it is Saudi Arabia?
If the Saudis manage to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, it will likely be with Egypt and, based on the precedent set through Qatar, they will have to let the Israelis in. As for other integrations, the Saudis are looking lately to acquire knowledge. They send tens of thousands of Saudi academics around the world to practice in the field of tourism, examine hotel management, hospitality and catering. Therefore, the exercise of labor is anything we can integrate. In addition, they buy software and cyber technology.
I believe that until 2030, ties with Israel will be opened in light of its opportunities and needs.
An edition of this article appeared on The Times of Israel’s Hebrew-language sister site, Zman Yisrael.
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