In an exclusive interview, Mary Gostelow, perhaps the world’s most celebrated connoisseur of luxury travel, shares her insights on Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning tourism scene, reflecting on past experiences and future expectations. We began by asking her to share her thoughts on how Saudi Arabia has evolved since her last visit.
It’s been quite some time since my last visit. I’ve been to the kingdom three or four times, largely due to my brother-in-law having been the British Consul there, which made the visa process smoother. My travels were mostly confined to Riyadh and Jeddah, but even back then, it was thrilling. Dressed entirely in black, I remember an amusing incident at Al-Faisal where I went swimming in a scarlet bikini. I was escorted to the pool, covered entirely in black, and I had the pool all to myself, save for a very attentive cleaner.
With Saudi Arabia opening its doors to tourists, what are your expectations for your next visit?
The Kingdom’s newfound enthusiasm for tourism is captivating. I plan to return within the next year, having waited to see how their developments progress. There’s a slew of friends and industry professionals working there now, and it’s clear that there’s a top-tier effort in hiring the best talent for their hospitality and lifestyle projects. Somebody at the very top has been extremely diligent in hiring the best. Obviously, Jerry Inzerillo is a legend, and I’m thrilled that I had him on my podcast a few months ago talking about some of the things that are happening at Diriyah Gate.
Speaking of developments, could you elaborate on the Six Senses opening in the Red Sea?
Absolutely. Six Senses is notable for integrating health and wellness into luxury travel. Their introduction to the Red Sea marks a strategic move for the InterContinental Hotel Group who are coming in with a big bang. It’s an entry that I’m quite excited about and intend to experience on my visit.
As Saudi Arabia builds its tourist infrastructure, what opportunities do you foresee?
There’s a growing need to clarify geography for potential visitors. While Riyadh and Jeddah are well-known, the locations of newer developments like Neom are less so. Enhancing geographical awareness is key. The typical challenges—misconceptions about dress codes for women, alcohol policies, and cuisine—could be deterrents. There’s a lack of knowledge about the fine dining experiences awaiting in the Kingdom, which we need to communicate better, particularly to the high-end American market.
How important is the communication aspect in promoting Saudi Arabia’s tourism?
It’s vital. The message is not really getting out to the travel agents and to the high-end consumers – particularly is the USA, who will undoubtedly be a target market. People need to know more about the hotels, not just the big resort projects that are coming. We need to know where people can stay when they go and have a look at what’s going on at one of these mega projects – when they go and see what Jerry is up to at Diriyah Gate… Where do they stay? The knowledge about hospitality is not being communicated outside the Kingdom. Obviously, this will all be taken care of, but it’s good to know that there are a few opportunities that are going to make the kingdom even more attractive to people.
“I think the opportunity for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is to put much more emphasis on communicating what is where.
At the moment in the UK business press, various Saudi developments are taking full page advertisements. But these advertisements are not saying where they are. And the intended recipients simply don’t have time to turn to a website and look further. They need to know straight away where something is and how to get to that something. Just a little idea. It’s publicity. It’s communication. It’s not just the PR word which stands for public relations. Whatever those two words mean put together, it’s getting the message out there somehow. What is where… a tremendous opportunity. I think the opportunity for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is to put much more emphasis on communicating what is where.
…
