A fresh addition to travel, initiating in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh and culminating in Jeddah, has been made to an international travel agency’s repertoire, explicitly focusing on tours for women.
The tour, coined – Saudi Arabia Women’s Expedition – is arranged to bolster women-led businesses and provide visitors with a fresh lens to observe the country. Developed by the travel firm, independently in collaboration with a local women-led agency dominated by Sara Omar, the first expedition is planned to set off on November 26.
Further plans on the itinerary include four more departures up until April 2025, with a cap of twelve travelers per trip. The journey includes exciting ventures like visiting the historic city of Hegra with a ‘rawee’ (local storyteller), exploring the green city of Alula and Madinah, the second most sacred site in Islam.
Led by women guides, the participants will receive access to women’s houses and women-exclusive areas. During the 12-day trip, they will engage in numerous women-led ventures and initiatives, like attending a women-led beauty salon, participating in a culinary class by a local female chef, and lunching amidst a citrus farm managed by two sisters.
Additional features of the trip include a visit to a shop that sells abeyas, a traditional Muslim robe, to understand how the garment is being modernized by women, and a Red Sea boat ride followed by a beachside barbecue at a women-exclusive beach.
The product manager for Women’s Expeditions, Jenny Gray, expressed that the trip would “bring local women’s narratives to the forefront.” Activities like making food in a local female-led cooking class and visiting a women-operated salon would allow the travelers to witness Saudi Arabia’s aspects that few get to see.
The Intrepid managing director EMEA, Zina Bencheikh, whose team will supervise the operations, recently visited Saudi Arabia to fine-tune the program. Bencheikh expressed excitement of Saudi women to welcome tourists their home nation.
Bencheikh shared her experience of engaging with women who are adapting to changes in their society and eager to welcome visitors to their nation. She added, ” By introducing our Women’s Expedition, we hope to boost opportunities for these women to break barriers and instigate significant change for themselves and future generations.”
Although Saudi Arabia, ranking 131 in the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index, is considered a fundamentally conservative patriarchal society, women have recently gained certain rights such as owning businesses. The travel company said, “With women forming 30% of the tourism and hospitality workforce, there was an opportunity to design a travel product that would provide travelers with a unique perspective and support the movement towards women’s empowerment.” The expedition journey starts from £4,795 per person.
