Saudi Tourist Visa Opens New Doors for Asia’s Muslim Travel Market
Skift Take
Since Saudi Arabia introduced a new tourist visa on Sept. 28, the focus has been on what it means for non-Muslim leisure travelers. But the new visa holds a bigger significance for the huge Muslim travel market in Asia and elsewhere.
Just because it’s now open does not necessarily mean there will be a deluge of tourists making a beeline for Saudi Arabia under a new tourist visa.
For Umrah pilgrims, it does indeed make sense to be a tourist after they’ve performed the “mini” Hajj. This is a big development for the massive Muslim travel market in Asia and elsewhere, as we reported below.
But it will be interesting to see whether non-Muslims will open their hearts to the kingdom. Each time Saudi Arabia loosens its restrictions — allowing non-married couples to book hotel rooms; approving that foreign women don’t have to wear the flowing abaya cloak; letting Saudi women travel without male permission — the w
