Saudi Arabia uses ancient tourist site to alter its history

Just outside Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh, a group of elementary school children are on a field trip at Diriyah, where engineers and construction workers are busy restoring a 17th-century fortress, mosques and clay-colored structures that were once the ruling family's seat of power.

In this March 8, 2018 photo, workers restore the Al Sarreha Mosque in the 18th century Diriyah fortified complex, that once served as the seat of power for the ruling Al Saud, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

The UNESCO World Heritage site lies in a conservative, arid patch of the country and is unlikely to feature high on any bucket lists for world travelers, but the kingdom is hoping to alter perceptions as it prepares to open the country to tourist visas and international tour groups later this year.

Diriyah lies at the heart of Saudi Arabia's efforts to both control the narrative of its past for future generations of Saudis and to revamp its image to curious world travelers.

It's an especially important site to the ruling Al Saud family because it's here where the first Saudi dynasty was founded in the 15th century. The architecture here is associated with the tribes of Najd, the landlocked region in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula that is now home to Riyadh and surrounding cities.

In this March 8, 2018 photo, visitors watch ancient palaces of the 18th century Diriyah fortified complex, that once served as the seat of power for the ruling Al Saud, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

In the 18th century, Diriyah rose to become once again the center of power for the Al Saud, but fell under Ottoman control in the early 19th century. It would take more than a century for the Al Sauds to reclaim Diriyah and found the current Saudi state— named after its ruling family.

Today, much of Diriyah remains closed to the public as authorities work to restore it to its former glory — except this time fitted with the modern comforts of air conditioning and plumbing. The area around the fortress resembles a modern desert oasis with palm trees, parks, restaurants and coffee shops, drawing young Saudis and families in the cooler months looking for green, open spaces away from the congested streets of Riyadh.

"There is an amazing amount of history here," said Chris Brooks, who frequently comes to Riyadh on business. With a few hours to spare between meetings, he decided to visit Diriyah and take some photos to share with his family back in the U.K.

In this March 8, 2018 photo, visitors walk in a garden at the 18th century Diriyah fortified complex, that once served as the seat of power for the ruling Al Saud, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Still, it's not a place he'd encourage his family to visit just yet.

"It's going to take some convincing families to want to come here," he said. "To open up, you need it to be more welcoming, more accessible. It takes a lot of time to get a visa to come here and if they address those issues then I think, yeah, more people will come here. There is just so much to see."

For the kingdom's 32-year-old heir to the throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Diriyah is part of a much larger national project to overhaul the country's economy and make it more resilient in the face of lower oil prices. Boosting domestic spending and opening the country to foreign tourists are seen as ways to create more jobs for the millions of young Saudis who will be entering the workforce and looking for jobs in the coming years.

In this March 8, 2018 photo, holiday makers eat traditional Saudi food at a restaurant in the18th century Diriyah fortified complex, that once served as the seat of power for the ruling Al Saud family, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

The religiously conservative country ran a pilot program between 2006 and 2010 welcoming around 25,000 visitors annually to see Saudi Arabia's ancient archaeological sites and vast landscapes of mountains, coastline, valleys, volcanoes and deserts.

Though Saudi Arabia may seem an unlikely destination for a holiday, it boasts regions where ancient Christian and Jewish communities once thrived, historic forts, a stunning Red Sea coastline and a diverse culture molded by ancient trade and pilgrimage routes.

Saudi tourism authorities are planning to open five museums inside Diriyah and a research center named after Sheikh Mohammed Ibn Abdul-Wahhab, whose ultraconservative teachings of Islam in the 18th century are widely referred to as "Wahhabism" in his name.

In this March 9, 2018 photo, general view showing Riyadh city taken from Mamlaka tower, a 99-story skyscraper, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Abdul-Wahhab was a pivotal figure in the foundation of the current Saudi state who helped the Al Saud family conquer tribes by using both the sword and the gospel. His legacy, however, is also associated with some of the most extreme interpretations of Islam that have been used to justify killings by al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.

A descendent of Abdul-Wahhab, Abdulmajeed Al-Sheikh, has worked as a tour guide in Diriyah for the past 12 years. He says the research center will be a place for Islamic scholars and academics to learn about the principles of Abdul-Wahhab's teachings and how he helped unite disparate Arab tribes under the banner of Islam.

In a short presentation shown to visitors of Diriyah, Abdul-Wahhab is described as a moderating force — as someone who revived the true teachings of Islam that were first revealed to Prophet Muhammad in Mecca some 1,400 years ago.

In this March 9, 2018 photo, a woman slides as she visits the "Snow City" in the Al-Othaim Mall, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

"His words basically say that if you don't do this you should be killed. You're a non-believer. It's not an obscure part of his writing," said David Commins, a professor at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania and scholar on Islam in Saudi Arabia. "For them to rewrite the creed of Ibn Abdel-Wahhab and say it's something else they're going to have to do some heavy editing."

For Saudi visitors, the center could serve as a way to reinterpret Abdul-Wahhab's teachings as the crown prince pushes forth social reforms that curb the influence of Wahhabism. For foreigners, it's a way for the government to put forth its own narrative about one of the country's most controversial figures.

In this Feb. 25, 2018 photo, Muslim pilgrims walk around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the minor pilgrimage, known as Umrah, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Natana DeLong-Bas, a professor at Boston College and the author of "Wahhabi Islam," says that for more than a decade the kingdom's rulers have been trying to create a sense of "wasatiya and wataniya" or moderation and patriotism among Saudi citizens.

"Religion is welcome as something that drives morals and ethics, but it is not going to be as linked to state activities as it has in the past," she said.

Tourism official Salah Altaleb, who's overseeing investments in the tourism sector, said visits to sites like Diriyah will help tourists "correct" the image they may have of Saudi Arabia.

In this March 2, 2018 photo, visitors of the new Jiddah Corniche watch an object with the name of the city, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

"Once they come here and see the country, I think the marketing literature tells us that they would go back and tell their family and friends and relatives about what they experienced and things will start to change then," he said.

Ballroom inspections and mahjong sessions may not be what automatically springs to mind when you consider Hong Kong’s appeal to visitors. Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions tourism – MICE tourism, for short – is not about being conventional, however.

Ideal venue: A representative from the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (left) is shown around exhibition halls and meeting rooms at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. source from news.gov.hk

Recently, nine representatives from the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers, hailing from Germany, Canada, Mexico and elsewhere, embarked on a five-day MICE tourism study mission in Hong Kong, at the invitation of the Tourism Board.

Their first stop was a Wan Chai hotel that opened late last year. The delegation inspected its banquet halls, suites and facilities, and enjoyed an unexpected highlight – an impromptu mahjong session in the games room that gave them a taste of one of the most popular Chinese pastimes.

The group then proceeded to the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) where they were shown around several exhibition venues and meeting rooms, learning about their layout and design, as well as the centre’s transport connectivity, and took the opportunity to gaze out over Victoria Harbour.

Essential journey: The delegation ticks off a unique Hong Kong experience by ascending Victoria Peak on the 130-year-old Peak Tram. source from news.gov.hk

Multiple facets
For MICE visitors – whether squeezing in sightseeing activities around conferences or enjoying company incentive trips – riding the 130-year-old Peak Tram remains an essential Hong Kong experience, of course.

Having ascended Victoria Peak by tram, the delegation embarked on a nostalgic journey through 1970s–80s Hong Kong at the Peak Tower museum, before marvelling at magnificent panoramic views of the city’s famous skyline and Victoria Harbour from the Sky Terrace.

The group then descended to Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan, where they performed the ritual of touching the holy deer statue with gold foil to seek blessings. All in all, they were able to immerse themselves fully in Hong Kong’s commercial, cultural and religious facets in a single day.

The tour participants represented diverse clients across sectors ranging from government to technology and pharmaceuticals, and are responsible for planning events across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. They said their experiences in Hong Kong would inform future decisions about staging professional conferences and summits in the city.

Local tradition: Tour participants seek blessings by touching the holy deer statue at Man Mo Temple with gold foil. source from news.gov.hk

Lasting impressions
Among the delegation was Jocelyne Mulli, managing director of a German organiser of professional conferences. Her firm has been using Hong Kong as its springboard into the Asia-Pacific region since 2012.

Though a frequent visitor to Hong Kong and to the HKCEC, she said her latest trip had opened her eyes to ongoing upgrades and more flexible service offerings in the city. In particular, she praised Hong Kong’s fusion of heritage and modernity, applauding its sustained achievements in MICE tourism development over the years.

“You are a hub, you are a base, and you are in the best place to welcome international delegates,” she said. “It is not everywhere that you have ballrooms, venue spaces of such size. You have a multilingual society and you have these historical aspects.”

For his part, Alejandro Ramirez Tabche, the CEO of a Mexican event planning company, said that seeing specific venues for himself had made him realise Hong Kong is the perfect MICE destination. Describing the city as “gorgeous”, he said he would recommend it to his peers as a location for holding events without hesitation.

“Hong Kong is always a top destination and people experience real fun and happiness,” he enthused. “And also, you have luxurious hotels, good food and good attractions. The people are so kind and they are very eager to help anytime.”

While in Hong Kong, the group also explored the Old Town Central neighbourhood’s blend of modern and historic elements, visited the giant panda twins at Ocean Park, and toured the newly opened Kai Tak Sports Park, gaining a full appreciation of the city’s diverse offerings.

Top destination: Managing director of a German organiser of professional conferences Jocelyne Mulli (left) is impressed by the sustained achievements in Hong Kong’s MICE tourism development, while CEO of a Mexican event planning company Alejandro Ramirez Tabche says he will recommend the city to his peers without hesitation. source from news.gov.hk

Robust revival
MICE tourism has emerged as a key driver of high-value travel to Hong Kong, with the city welcoming over 1.42 million overnight MICE visitors in 2024, a year-on-year increase of about 10%. Their average spending per capita outperformed overall overnight visitor expenditure by about 40% and catalysed growth across sectors including convention services, retail, dining and entertainment.

The Tourism Board is adopting a multipronged approach to developing MICE tourism, sparing no effort to secure major events for Hong Kong, while also inviting global conference organisers to experience the city’s MICE facilities and tourism assets first-hand.

Tourism Board Director & Business Development Team Lead of MICE Phoebe Shing outlined that the organisation has been successful in bidding for and facilitating 56 large-scale MICE events in Hong Kong this year, including 16 which are debuting in the city. The events span sectors ranging from innovation and technology to fintech, medical science and aviation.

“In June, Hong Kong will host the International Society for Stem Cell Research 2025 annual meeting for the first time,” she said. “For the aviation sector, we will welcome Routes World 2025 in September, and also Airspace Asia Pacific 2025 in December.”

These events are projected to attract approximately 170,000 MICE visitors from the Mainland and overseas, with total participation reaching 260,000.

Ms Shing added that with MICE tourism’s robust recovery, coupled with the ongoing restoration of international flight capacity, further growth in MICE visitors is expected.

Robust revival: Tourism Board Director & Business Development Team Lead of MICE Phoebe Shing expects further growth in MICE visitors following the sector’s strong recovery and the restoration of international flight capacity. source from news.gov.hk

“The Hong Kong Tourism Board will continue to promote MICE tourism, striving to bring more MICE events to Hong Kong. We will also solidify Hong Kong as the world’s meeting place in order to attract more high-yield visitors to our city.”