The former Managing Director of Tourism at NEOM and current Chair of the Red Sea Advisory Board, Aradhana Khowala is a global expert in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries. Her executive, entrepreneurial, and board career spans over two decades, five continents, and 75+ countries. As the CEO of Aptamind Partners, she helps governments and businesses use tourism as a force for good.
During her recent talk at the Arabian Travel Market, Khowala spoke extensively about the exploding luxury tourism market in Saudi Arabia and the importance of leveraging authentic experiences to attract travellers. After the session, she took a few moments to expand upon how experiences can help leverage the Red Sea destination…
“One surefire and effective way to attract people to Saudi Arabia is to integrate experiences with integrity,” Khowala emphasised. “People come here because they want to experience the local culture, delivered by locals.”
Her first mantra is to ensure that all experiences are created and offered with integrity. The second is to avoid “CSR”—not corporate social responsibility, but rather “Commercialisation, Standardisation, and Romanisation.”
She explains, “Commercialisation occurs when traditional cultural performances become staged and inauthentic, like the nightly Maori shows at hotels in New Zealand that don’t reflect the real haka. Standardisation is when village markets sell mass-produced crafts that don’t benefit local artisans. And Romanisation is when Western culture imposes its norms on local traditions, turning yoga into something unrecognisable.”
Khowala believes that Saudi Arabia should focus on offering authentic experiences and avoid these pitfalls. She cites the example of Red Sea Global’s approach to supporting the local communities of Al Wajh and Umluj, fishing towns near the destination. By funding social impact programmes, Red Sea Global ensures that fishermen and shipbuilders can continue practising their crafts, preserving their culture for the next generation. Guests have the privilege of witnessing these authentic practices.
“They [Red Sea Global] prioritise local businesses, artisans, and fair wages while ensuring good working conditions. They take care of the basics to create something truly unique and authentic,” Khowala said.
Passion for Saudi Arabia
When asked how she became involved with Saudi Arabia, Khowala explained that she had been an early convert to the Kingdom’s potential, becoming involved at the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018.
“I’m passionate about this because I can’t think of any other destination, any other country, anywhere in the world doing anything remotely on the scale of what Saudi Arabia is achieving,” she said. “The physical infrastructure and hotels are great, but the real story is the human story.”
Khowala is a passionate advocate for gender equality, pointing out that women’s workforce participation in Saudi Arabia has risen from 12% in 2017 to 37% today. “Travel and tourism have overtaken oil and gas as the sector that young Saudi girls most want to pursue a career in.”
“The transition is huge,” Khowala noted. “Just ten years ago, a career in tourism was not considered suitable for women.”
Storytelling and changing perceptions
Khowala acknowledged that many high-end travel advisors remain hesitant to sell Saudi Arabia actively due to misconceptions and different attitudes towards the Kingdom. However, she welcomed their hesitation and cynicism.
“It’s important to start from where people are, to understand their concerns,” she said. “One of the things we don’t do well as an industry is storytelling. It’s not enough just to build—people need to be taken on a journey.”
She highlighted the story of Red Sea Global, the world’s largest regenerative developer. “It’s a company solving some of the biggest challenges facing humanity, like climate change, biodiversity conservation, and empowering local communities.”
The role of leadership
Khowala also praised John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global, for his visionary leadership in transforming Saudi Arabia’s tourism landscape.
“The tone, the vision, and the daily interaction are set by the leader,” she said. “If he wasn’t breathing and resonating this philosophy, his team wouldn’t deliver on the ground. He is one of those rare people who runs the show, commands the show, but doesn’t care to star in the show. He lets his people shine and take centre stage.”
One thing is sure… Aradhana Khowala is passionate about Saudi Arabia’s potential and its transformative journey. Her insights on integrating authentic experiences, promoting storytelling, and empowering local communities provide a valuable blueprint for those seeking to redefine the future of tourism in the Kingdom.
With her visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to positive change, Khowala continues to inspire a new era in global travel and hospitality.
