Saudi Arabia's popular culture is changing with liberalization

Riyadh's moves to open up the kingdom have had a positive impact

- SHULI REN

Saudi Arabia's unprecedented attempt to diversify from an oil economy to something more sustainable seems to be churning along nicely. The female labour participation rate has nearly doubled to 36% from 2016, the year Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman laid out his Vision 2030. Unemployment is at a record low. Last year, the number of domestic and foreign tourists exceeded 100 million for the first time.

Headline statistics aside, what's Saudi Arabia really like? Curious, I did some sightseeing, taking advantage of a new route between Hong Kong and Riyadh. The two financial centres have been strengthening economic ties, cross-investing and offering exchange-traded funds on each other's bourses. Cathay Pacific started a direct flight late last month. Before the trip, my friend and I were fussing over our outfits, worrying that we might get stopped on the street for not dressing conservatively enough. We were also a bit nervous about our road trip—after all, women were forbidden from driving until mid-2018.

What we found was an open and friendly nation that welcomed visitors. We blended in as well as any foreigners would in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, and we didn't spot the much-feared religious police. In Medina, we accidentally roamed into the courtyard of the Prophet's Mosque, not knowing it was for Muslims only. When a policeman asked us to leave, his tone was apologetic.