Munaza Kazmi
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has big plans for developing large-scale tourism, starting with Jeddah and its ancient architecture and history.
Jeddah an ancient port city means grandmother in Arabic, standing still with the glittering waters of Red Sea, overlooking the holy city of Makkah in east, which from 7th century had became the essential port for Muslim pilgrims, making it a melting pot of cultures and commerce.
It was a major part of Golden Road that connected far East to the Mediterranean and the West. Along, a UNESCO World Heritage site, showcases its heritage of coral stone buildings, traditional souks and architecture reflecting centuries of trade and cultural exchange.
Beside trade and commerce, Saudi Arabia serve as the lifeline of Islam, from where it originated. Every year billions of dollars gets in Saudi banks from the Muslim traveling to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah to perform Hajj and Umrah.
Yet, Saudi land is said to be changing fast, part of its Vision plan 2030 involves strategic blueprint for preparing the economy and society for the rigours of a post-petroleum age includes everything from implementing digital and infrastructure projects to liberating women from the constraints of Islamic law to nurture a more creative and dynamic workforce.
As it says, “Saudi Arabia is stepping out of darkness”, ironically by neglecting the warnings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Since, Al Ulla or Mada’in Salih is known in Islamic tradition as a cursed place, reasoning the destruction of Thamud people for their disobedience of Allah, with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) passing through, warned his companions not to drink water or enter dwellings there unless weeping, lest they suffer the same fate, as documented in Sahih Bukhari.
In spite of this warning and Quranic stories, AlUla has turned into the desert oasis, marked with luxury hotels and adventure parks.
But first the question is, if Saudi Arabia is ready of tourism!!!
How could it’s Yes, when right on the airport the security guards spike the travellers with hateful sights, spear the heart with edgy and harsh words. Where in luxury hotels like Pullman Zamzam most telephone operators can’t talk or understand besides Arabic, where shopkeepers hush the customers for the crime of testing their products, where public toilets are in the state disgust, where lady police put her boots in front of a woman in the state of prostration, as where it’s still in their heart the difference of Arab and Ajam, that country is not ready for tourism.
