Is Saudi Arabia Ready to Welcome LGBTQ+ Travelers?
Is Saudi Arabia ready to roll out the welcome mat for LGBTQ travelers? The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) seems to think so, reported CNN.
As more tourists muster the nerve to visit the kingdom, the STA appears to be attempting to target the most worldly group of our population: gays.
CNN reported that a Q&A section of STA's website was updated to specify that LGBTQ travelers are indeed welcome.
"Everyone is welcome to visit Saudi Arabia and visitors are not asked to disclose such personal details," is the website's response to the question on its FAQ page, CNN reports.
Although it is not known exactly when the website was updated, an STA spokesperson said the policy was always in place. However, an archived version of the website reveals that the particular question and answer about LGBTQ visitors did not exist as far back as March.
According to Human Rights Watch, same-sex sexual activity is still an offense in Saudi Arabia, and LGBTQ travelers being welcome is news to some who have actually been there.
A gay traveler who visited Saudi Arabia on business in 2022 told CNN that he "in the closet" during his stay. Another UK traveler who spent time in AlUla, one of Saudi's tourism-focused destinations, said it was "OK for a week or so but after that I suddenly realized it gone back to living a life in the closet and not being my true self."
He added, "More out of fear of what might happen — the unknown — rather than anything specific that happened."
The company that he was working for "basically told me to delete anything even remotely LGBTQI related from my phone — all photos, apps, newspapers and magazines," he explained. "My Egyptian friend suggested I just get a new clean phone."
Out of Office CEO agrees that LGBTQ+ travelers are a lucrative market, but visiting Saudi Arabia might be a hard sell for some.
"It's pretty vague, and doesn't offer the assurances that would make me feel able to send our clients safely to the destination, but anything on the website about LGBT travelers is a good starting point," he said. "I can't think of another Middle Eastern tourist board that has even mentioned them, except Qatar in the run-up to the World Cup, and even that was vague, saying that everyone was welcome.
"But my concern is what the reality is like in the destination. Are they saying that a same-sex couple can check into a hotel and get a double bed without any issues? My hunch would be that that's not the reality."
Would you take Saudi Arabia up on its "welcome"? Tell us in comments.