The Copysmith

: Musings from our Business trip to Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom’s capital city seems poised for change – how will it strike the balance between conservative Muslim kingdom and inviting in the modern world?

GLITTERING URBAN SPRAWL Riyadh, a breathtaking view by night as seen from the geodesic Globe Restaurant at the top of Al Faisaliah tower.

SUBDUED OR DIGNIFIED? Modern Saudi women are required to wear the abaya, but not the headscarf – even though many still cover their hair. Although that women’s touch is largely absent in the culture, women are being engaged more and more in business and public debate: At Al Faisaliah Hotel, the elegant and contemporary South Wing has been designed by one of the Saudi princesses, newspapers earnestly discuss women’s rights issues, and driving into Riyadh you can’t ignore the sprawling 8 million m2 building site of the Princess Nora University for young women.

SWEET DREAMS. Nobody’s fool, Saudi Arabia has embraced the best of the western world, while rejecting the worst. Upmarket Riyadh indulges in the most exquisite 5-star cuisine. Here at Hotel Al Khozama, La Patisserie lays out an exquisite spread of Continental dainties.

SUFFUSED WITH LUXURY. At Al Faisaliah Hotel every tray comes with a single fresh rose – even a small pick me up for a tired writer.

SUPREME HOSPITALITY reigns at the centre of Saudi culture. The hotel reflects this by assigning guests complementary butlers who operate on 24-hour alert. The pinnacle of efficiency and professional conduct, these gentlemen can help with anything from wake-up calls to shopping, packing and bookings.

THE SECRET WORLD of Saudi Arabia seems to exist in another dimension. There is an almost unnerving calm, a relaxed pace, a feeling of safety that is rare in most parts of the world.

Women with beautiful flashing eyes laugh with their husbands and tend to their children. Starkly concealed in black, they bear their traditional garments with self-respect, rather than the indignity assumed by the west.

While the plazas and streets are splashed with sunlight, the modest culture seems to hide from it. Rather expressing itself in a more intimate way, retreating indoors for personal pursuits and comforts.

And indeed Saudi Arabians have retreated from the prying eyes of the non-Muslim world. But with astonishing plans for the future – The Kingdom eyes a $20 billion income from tourism by 2020 – the new Saudis, sunny and young at heart, seem willing to reveal their mysteries to the globe. And daring enough to make it happen – here in Riyadh, new hotels rise despite the economic downturn.

Brave plans to lure in the tourists include plans for a $13 billion tourist city and the largest eco-tourism park in the Middle East. Blessed with more than oil, Saudi Arabia’s unspoilt and ‘unseen’ landscape teems with wildlife, kilometres of pristine coastline and undulating desertscapes. Add to that bustling cities, luxurious hotels and spas to rival any world destination, and The Kingdom promises to be the next must-do tourist frontier.