[custom_adv] Saudi Arabia has thrown open its doors to foreign tourists, announcing that it would launch a new visa programme for 49 countries in a bid to draw foreign companies to invest in the country's tourism sector. [custom_adv] The conservative Muslim kingdom is also relaxing strict dress codes for female visitors that previously required them to wear all-covering black robes, or abayas. [custom_adv] Tourism chief Ahmed al-Khateeb told Reuters in an interview in the run-up to the official announcement that abayas will not be mandatory for women tourists but modest dress is, including at public beaches. [custom_adv] Action shot during Saudi Open Hearts Open Doors Tourist Visa Launch Event at the At-Turaif District in Ad-Diriyah on September 27, 2019 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. [custom_adv] Guest look at the displays during the Saudi Open Hearts Open Doors Tourist Visa Launch Event at the At-Turaif District in Ad-Diriyah on September 27, 2019 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. [custom_adv] Saudi Arabia has long been seen as off-limits for international tourists. But now the country is opening up fully to international visitors for the first time. Details of the new visa scheme will be announced Friday at an event in Ad-Diriyah, on the outskirts of Riyadh. [custom_adv] In addition, The Saudi government says that it is constructing "new tourist destinations," including luxury developments by the Red Sea, an "entertainment city" 40 minutes outside Riyadh, and Neom, a newbuild futuristic city in the northwest of the country, the first portion of which is expected to be completed by 2025. [custom_adv] The drive for tourism is part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 project, which aims to reduce the country's dependence on oil, diversify the economy and promote the country's national identity.
