By Beth Copeland
12/09/2024
Saudi Arabia has announced its decision to cancel fees for issuing commercial activity licences for hotels, hotel apartments, and residential resorts in the Kingdom, the state news agency SPA reported.
The decision, effective from 4 September, is part of the Tourism Investment Enabler Programme (TIEP) that Saudi Arabia launched in March. The programme aims to transform the Kingdom into a tourism powerhouse by making investment in the Saudi tourism sector more affordable for both international and domestic investors.
The TIEP initiative seeks to bolster lodging availability in select tourist locations, diversify the Kingdom’s attractions, and establish Saudi Arabia as a leading tourist destination. The plan’s goals include, among other things, attracting investments to key tourism sites across the Kingdom, creating 120,000 jobs, and increasing the number of hotel rooms by 42,000.
Currently, the economy of Saudi Arabia is dominated by petroleum, and it is one of the world’s largest oil-producing countries in terms of output. As the government seeks to diversify, tourism is an obvious choice. The country has a rich heritage as a historic trade hub and as the birthplace of Islam. It is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Tourism throughout the Middle East is on the rise. According to UN Tourism (UNWTO), international tourism, in general, decreased by 11% in 2023 compared to 2019. However, tourism to the Middle East increased by 33% in 2023 compared to 2019. In 2023, UNWTO signed a first-of-its-kind agreement with the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The agreement focuses on creating training and certification programmes in the Kingdom to help grow tourism.
This effort to increase tourism has grown out of the “Saudi Vision 2030” plan to reduce its dependence on oil exports and modernise the country. Long-term followers of the country’s policies view the recent openness to tourism as a positive sign for economic growth, as well as a spiritual opportunity for a country that, only a few years ago, was mostly closed to tourists and prevented Christians from entering unless they had a business visa or work permit.
A friend of INcontext shared what’s even more significant in the push to attract tourism to Saudi Arabia, is the introduction of an E-visa system, which allows tourists to apply online with just a hotel booking, compared to the previously cumbersome, costly process requiring a local invitation. This change removes a major barrier for long-term missionaries, who often struggled to invite support teams from home due to the risk of linking them to their own records. The new system facilitates Christian travel for prayer walks and engagement with locals, without the risks associated with missionary affiliations.
In 2016, Saudi Arabia unveiled the “Saudi Vision 2030” plan, which outlined political, economic, educational, and cultural transformations. The plan is a blueprint aimed at achieving increased economic, social, and cultural diversification, and is largely the vision of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.
The Crown Prince has repeatedly expressed his desire to return Saudi Arabia to a more moderate form of Islam, introducing reforms that have led to relatively greater freedom for Saudi citizens and expatriates. These reforms have included passing a law in 2018 allowing women to legally drive, a decision that was highly criticised by some Saudis. At the time, Saudi Arabia was the only country that did not legally allow women to drive.
Despite promises of reform and the progress made, Saudi Arabia continues to have a low tolerance for human rights. Open Doors lists Saudi Arabia as 13th on the World Watch List of the top 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution. Religions other than Islam cannot be practised openly, and no official churches of any Christian denomination are allowed. Most Christians are migrant workers from Asia and Africa, but there are also a small number of Saudi Christian converts. Conversion from Islam is unacceptable, so most Saudi Christians practise their faith in secret.
A large number of Saudi citizens live among unreached people groups. According to the Joshua Project, 91% of the population belongs to an unreached people group, with 92% of Saudis being adherents of Islam.
Many new tourism hotspots are being developed in rural areas, where locals have had limited contact with foreigners compared to larger cities where people often study abroad. Saudis are notably curious and friendly, making conversations with them relatively easy, especially as tourism is a new experience for many. This is significant because those encountering tourists have previously had limited exposure outside of Islam. To promote tourism and avoid international criticism, the authorities are more lenient towards Christians (both expatriates and tourists) practicing their faith and are less strict about Western cultural influences than in the past.
Saudi Arabia is pivotal in the Arab and Islamic worlds due to its strong economic capabilities, cultural significance, and strategic geographical position. The fact that Saudi Arabia is opening its doors to tourists represents a significant opportunity and demonstrates how God can change seasons.
Another example of such change in Saudi Arabia is the Kingdom’s openness to foreign tech entrepreneurs through their new soft-landing programme. This initiative grants entrepreneurship licences to eligible applicants and allows businesses to be 100% foreign-owned—an option previously unavailable. Entrepreneurs no longer need a Saudi sponsor to establish a business in the Kingdom. These changes present a significant opportunity for Business as Mission (BAM) ventures to thrive in a formerly restricted market.
As Christians, we need to think creatively about using these open doors to be witnesses in the country. While it is still risky to meet with local believers and tourists won’t have the opportunity to build long-term relationships, it does provide a chance to undertake prayer trips and be witnesses to everyone we encounter.
Please join us in praying for the following:
- Pray for God to show Christians creative ways to take advantage of this expanded opportunity.
- Pray for the Crown Prince and others in the government to continue creating policies that benefit their citizens and ease conversion and religious restrictions.
- Pray for God to continue working in the hearts of the Saudi people.
- Pray for the unreached people groups in the country, that God would raise up Christians to bring the good news of Jesus to them.
