The reinvention of the Saudi economy is going slower than planned
Apart from oil, the desert kingdom does not have many unique selling points
WERE IT NOT for the ubiquitous photos of the royal family, visitors to Abha might forget they were in Saudi Arabia. Gnarled juniper trees dot green mountains; mist clings to valleys where farmers grow crops and raise honeybees on terraced fields. Troops of baboons line the roads, foraging for food and occasionally stealing bags from unsuspecting visitors.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “No tourist Mecca”
Middle East & Africa November 13th 2021
From the November 13th 2021 edition
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