Saudi men walking near a carved rose-coloured sandstone mountain in the Nabataean archaeological site of al-Hijr near the northwestern town of al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 30, 2012. Dating back to the first century BC, the archaeological site has long been hidden from foreign visitors in this ultra-conservative kingdom that rarely opens up to tourists. According to UNESCO, it includes 111 tombs, most of which boast a decorated facade, cave drawings and even some pre-Nabataean inscriptions. FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/GettyImages
RIYADH—Saudi Arabia threw open its doors to foreign tourists on Friday, launching a new visa regime for 49 countries and appealing to foreign companies to invest in a sector it hopes will contribute 10 percent of gross domestic product by 2030.
The ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom, relatively closed off for decades, has in recent years relaxed strict social codes, like segregating men and women in public places and requiring women to wear all-covering black robes, or abayas.
