The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is undergoing several reforms and transformations to diversify its economy away from oil. In recent years, the country has taken several steps to make itself more attractive to tourists from around the world. The visa application process has been tremendously simplified. Singaporeans and others from eligible countries may apply for e-visa. When I applied online for a visa last October, I got a multiple entry visa within five minutes of applying. The visa was valid for one year with a 90-day duration of stay for each entry. Non-Singaporeans who are citizens of countries that are not eligible to apply for e-visa could obtain a visa on arrival, if they are holders of valid visas for the US, UK, and Schengen area, with the requirement that they must have used it at least once to enter the issuing country or region in order to qualify for a visa on arrival. Saudi Arabia also recently launched a four-day stopover visa. Those traveling on Saudi airlines get a complimentary one-night stay at a hotel. The tourism board also designed some programs from 1 to 4 days itineraries to help visitors make the best of their stays, encouraging visits to its six UNESCO World Heritage sites, experience adventure in nature like diving in the Red Sea or a hike excursion in Najd, aside many other activities. The stopovers can also be used for spiritual visits to Mecca and Madinah. The kingdom has many mega tourism projects in the pipeline, like Qaddiya, Trojena snow city, and Sindalah Island, just to name a few. Qaddiya is set to be the world's largest entertainment city. It will even surpass Walt Disney World in Florida, being almost 3 times the size of it. Guests will have access to more than 300 facilities, including theme parks, water parks, and a sports city. Trojena snow city is a five-star destination that will be built in Taif, Saudi Arabia. It will provide a unique experience with outdoor skiing in a desert climate. Sindalah island will act as a main gateway to the Red Sea, offering visitors customised nautical experiences, and is expected to start welcoming guests in early 2024. The luxury island will also be home to a yacht club, three luxury resorts, a spa, over 50 luxury brands and 86 piers.

These mega projects of vision 2030 is destined to change the landscape of Saudi Arabia. A number of tourists are rushing to visit Saudi Arabia before the completion and operation of these projects. They fear that these mega projects could spoil the beauty of the current rawness. They go snorkeling and scuba diving in the Red Sea and on desert safaris. Saudi Arabia has always been accustomed to religious travel, either for haj or Umrah. Makkah and Madinah would host the Umrah travelers. My wife, my 23-year-old son, and I performed umrah last November with another family. We did not take any travel-agent package but went free and easy on our own.

Our trip to Madinah and Makkah was for 10 days. Initially, I thought 10 days was too long. My previous umrahs had been what I would term as express umrah. Each time I am in Jeddah, I would drive to Masjid Al Haram in Makkah late night, perform the umrah ritual, and return to Jeddah.

That trip was a wonderful family holiday. There are so many things to see and do, both religious and secular. No doubt the highlight is the Masjid Al Haram with the Kaabah and Masjid Nabawi of Madinah.

Masjid Nabawi is huge and full of splendour. I have been to many grand and historical mosques around the world, but apart from Masjid Al Haram and the Kaabah, nothing else compares with the Masjid Nabawi. The first thing to do in Madinah, after visiting Masjid Nabawi, is to take to hop-on bus tour. You can board it from the Shazah bus station, just outside Masjid Nabawi. The bus ride is a very good tour of Madinah with audio guide. You get a good holistic appreciation of the city sites and shopping areas.

Some of the sites worth visiting are the Bani Haram cave, Uhud Mountains, Quba Mosque, and Ethq well. The Bani Haram cave is a symbol of the Trench battle, where the Muslims were victorious despite being outnumbered and betrayed. Uhud Mountains is where the battle of Uhud was fought. There is a cemetery there where 70 of the battle martyrs are buried. Prophet Muhammed (SAW) and Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq rested and drank from Ethq well, when they visited Madinah after Hijrah, for the first time. Quba Mosque was founded by the prophet.

The Islamic history museum in Madinah is very educational. They have guided tours in various languages. The tour guide was very engaging with the visitors. Another interesting place is Wadi E Jinn. Urban legend has it that Jinn resides there. This is because of cars moving upwards towards the hill while the engine is off. This phenomenon is known as the "reverse gravity effect", in which there is excessive magnetic pull in mountains around specific areas. I still prefer the Jinn story, more touristic! Though Saudi cuisine might not be internationally renowned, food in Saudi Arabia tends to be fresh and is excellent, as much as varied. International cuisine and all the international fast-food chains are available. The most popular fast food is probably the local Al-Beik roasted chicken and shawarma stalls. Yemeni restaurants and mandhi houses are popular and common in Saudi Arabia. They would range from affordable low-range establishments to upmarket restaurants. The servings tend to be substantial. My son and I ordered three individual dishes and struggled to finish them, and both of us are big eaters (though it shows in me). One of my favourite Yemeni restaurants in Makkah is Qisah Yemenia (Yemeni story). It is about a 30-minute drive from central Makkah. The food and ambiance are wonderful. They had private family rooms. The only inconvenience is getting a taxi or uber back. It could take some time, especially if around prayer times. However, in Makkah, as with other Gulf cities, private cars do ferry passengers for a fare. It is acceptable practice to hail a private car for a ride. Some of these private cars tend to charge a premium. You might have to haggle. If you are lucky, some will give you a ride for free. I have had a few such experiences!

Makkah has a lot of character. The feeling of being in Majid Al Haram and the Kaabah is inexplainable. It is overwhelming. You can visit mount Arafa. It is a truly cosmopolitan gathering of Muslims. The shopping mall in clocktower is grand. The top of the clock tower is a museum of clocks.

When my five days stay in Makkah came to an end, I felt like wanting to stay longer.

Saudi Arabia has made it simpler for visitors to visit. The social reforms have also changed the tourist landscape. The people remain as hospitable as ever. The country has transformed into a pleasant well organised country. Religious tourism and Muslims traveling to Saudi Arabia have always been present. The tourism landscape is destined to change and more secular tourists will be arriving Saudi Arabia, especially once the tourism mega-projects under vision 2030 are completed. The intriguing question remains in that how will the traditionally hospitable and conservative Saudis adapt to an influx of non-Muslim secular tourists?

The writer is Head of Applied Projects, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and honorary secretary of the Singapore Arab Association (Al-Wehdah).

This article was first published in Malay in Berita Harian.