At the high end of the labour market, there are not enough jobs for educated Saudis
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 that rise to 3,000 metres above sea level, with nary a sand dune in sight. 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.
Saudi Arabia has lots of untapped potential. It did not even offer tourist visas until 2019. But officials struggle to explain why a hoped-for 50m foreign visitors will choose the kingdom over other destinations each year. That points to a bigger question looming over the economic-reform effort. In order to achieve its broader goals Saudi Arabia must attract foreign firms and investors. Yet officials struggle to make a compelling case for why they, too, should choose the kingdom.
In private conversations, would-be investors fret about the business climate in a country dominated by one man. They were unnerved in 2017 when Prince Muhammad detained dozens of businessmen and royals for alleged corruption . Tax was a big concern at this year’s Future Investment Initiative, a glitzy annual conference in Riyadh. The government has served several firms, including Uber , with hefty bills for unpaid taxes. Some executives wonder if this portends a private-sector shakedown.
Partitions that separated single men from families have come down in smart restaurants. Young Saudis crowd cinemas, banned for decades, to watch films like “Dune”, a movie about a young prince tapped to rule a resource-rich desert. On October 20th hundreds of thousands of people in Riyadh attended a concert by Pitbull, an American singer who is not for the prudish.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Larger-than-expected Saudi crude price hikes to Asia bullish for marketsTop oil exporter Saudi Arabia has raised the price differential of its flagship crude to Asia by more than double in December versus November, exceeding market expectations and sending a bullish signal to the global oil market, traders said.
Read more »
Justin Bieber slammed by human rights activists ahead of Saudi Arabia concertBieber is being asked by the Human Rights Foundation chaired by Garry Kasparov to cancel a concert in Saudi Arabia due to its treatment of gays and women.
Read more »
Human Rights Foundation Leaders Call for Justin Bieber to Cancel Performance in Saudi ArabiaThe event, the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2021, will also feature performances by A$AP Rocky, Jason Derulo, Tiesto and David Guetta.
Read more »
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival Sets Inaugural Lineup; Joe Wright’s ‘Cyrano’ To Open – Full ListThe Red Sea International Film Festival has set the lineup for its inaugural edition which runs from December 6-15 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The roster includes 138 titles from 67 countries and will…
Read more »
Inaugural Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia to Open With Joe Wright’s ‘Cyrano’Saudi director Haifaa Al Mansour will also be honored at the festival, taking place in Jeddah in December.
Read more »
Middle East Premiere of Joe Wright’s ‘Cyrano’ to Open Saudi Arabia’s Inaugural Red Sea Film FestivalThe Middle East premiere of British director Joe Wright’s dazzling romantic drama “Cyrano” will open the Red Sea Film Festival, which is Saudi Arabia’s first full-fledged film festival and market w…
Read more »