ExperienceTravel presents new destination: Saudi Arabia

Next week ExperienceTravel at MASTERS EXPO present its latest trips and help visitors realize their dream trip. Already, the exclusive travel company is announcing a brand new, surprising destination: Saudi Arabia. Not an obvious destination, but definitely a hidden gem. Get to know Saudi Arabia.Text: Patrick Stoffer
Image: ExperienceTravelThinking and acting off the beaten path is right up ExperienceTravel's alley. Since its founding in 1998, the company has never shied away from a challenge and is always looking for new opportunities and hidden gems. CEO Harco van Uden: "The modern explorer is constantly looking for new, groundbreaking adventures. When something is picked up by the 'general public,' it is actually already outdated." In this respect, ExperienceTravel has a special first, as it will be one of the first travel companies to open its gates to the currently uncharted territory of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is on the eve of a historic transformation and is betting heavily on it. The black gold (oil) will eventually be replaced by tourism. That the Saudis mean business is evidenced by the goal of receiving about 25 million tourists a year by the year 2030. The policymakers realize that this will also have to be based on a cultural change, because the current character of Saudi Arabia is mainly closed and hardly inviting to foreign tourists. Religion has traditionally played an important role in Saudi Arabia and will continue to do so, but for tourists the "impact" of this will be minimal. Harco van Uden did his own research and recently visited Saudi Arabia with his wife. "For Westerners, the country is mostly shrouded in mystery anyway," van Uden says. "However, when you go to see it with your own eyes, a completely different picture immediately emerges. For example, my wife didn't have to wear a veil. Alcohol is still forbidden at the moment, but there is a chance that this too will be changed in the future, at least for tourists. "The fact that globally renowned hotel chains are setting up in Saudi Arabia en masse betrays that behind the scenes the transition has been going on for some time. Also, the timing of a Formula One race in Saudi Arabia (Dec. 5 for the first time) is not a coincidence and is part of the larger plan to emphatically highlight the country. ExperienceTravel has exclusive Paddock tickets for the Formula 1 races (December and March) in Jeddah. This allows you to enjoy the GP of Saudi Arabia at a high level while getting to know the many different faces of the country. After all, there is a lot to discover. From pristine natural areas to hidden desert treasures and from modern cities to paradisiacal beaches.

Saudi Arabia will therefore in the near future count mainly as an unadulterated pioneer destination, but in the longer term will become a mainstream travel destination that the culture-lover, the adventure-minded traveler, as well as the vacationer cannot stop talking about. Want to know what this looks like? Then check out a sample trip to Saudi Arabia here.

Let ExperienceTravel help you realize your dream trip at MASTERS EXPO. From November 18 to 22 in RAI Amsterdam. Buy your tickets here.