One of the major projects that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) wastes the nation’s budget on is the city of Al-Ula. The country has not yet benefited economically from this project, as there are very few tourists visiting the city because of its intense heat and high lodging costs, which prevent a large number of tourists from visiting.
The Middle East Monitor website went on a field visit to Al-Ula over the past few days in order to write a realistic report on the city. The report included the observations and experiences of the field visit participants.
The first scene described on the website is that the city is not for the people of the Kingdom because all of the women there are foreigners, none of whom speak Arabic or wear the hijab. The men, on the other hand, are dressed in shorts. This is an unusual scene in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, especially considering that all of these women are couples staying in the same hotel. Previously, unmarried people were not allowed to stay in the same room in any hotel because they had to disclose their relationship with official documents proving their marriage. However, thanks to Ibn Salman’s vision, all of the laws concerning unmarried individuals were previously prohibited.
The site discussed how a significant portion of the tourist services in the city of Al-Ula are reserved for wealthy travelers, including those who can spend hundreds of dollars per night in the camp. It is noteworthy that economists classify the city as only for the wealthy and for tourists or citizens of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is the second scene in the Middle East field visit.
In contrast to similar desert cities in Jordan and Morocco, for example, where a tourist can spend the night for less than a hundred dollars, this reality is thought to be a major factor in the reluctance of tourists to spend the night and camp in the city of AlUla. Any traveler or couple wishing to spend the night in the city must prepare themselves to spend hundreds of dollars in one night.
Even visiting the Theater of Mirrors, a massive reflecting glass structure that looks like it blends into the valley and is situated in the middle of the mountains, requires visitors to make reservations for tickets to upcoming sporting events, concerts, or social events. Similarly, booking a seat at one of the upscale restaurants in the city is mandatory for those who wish to dine there; the least expensive meal costs $40 per person, which is obviously out of reach for most visitors.
Following a similar journey to AlUla, the Bloomberg Agency was able to communicate the feeling of “detachment” that permeates AlUla resorts; “the real, dusty world lies outside the resort’s borders, not some luxurious experiences, as the tourist in the city will find primitive houses, instead From chic shops or modern restaurants.”
Living in AlUla also means not having access to amenities like televisions, room service, and daily newspapers that are common in many similar resorts in the desert environment.
The article also brought attention to the startling fact that no one could afford to spend a night in Saudi Arabia or abroad because a desired night’s stay would cost more than $1,000.
In the same context, foreign newspapers refuted MBS’s assertions and disclosed that, contrary to what state-run media outlets advocate, the proportion of Saudi labor in the city was only 30%. This is because Saudi labor is indebted to the employment of Saudi youth and its hospitality to foreign cultures.
Newspapers also revealed that many Saudis, who are religious scholars who have lived in the Kingdom for decades, forbid even visiting the city based on verses and hadiths of the Prophet, claiming that they perceive a psychological barrier between them and the city, which represents the punishment of God meted out to disobedient people and represents a decline in domestic tourism and a testament to Bin Salman’s failed vision for the city of Al-Ula.
