Saudi Arabia to build beach resort where women can wear bikinis

The super-conservative country is planning to open a huge resort along its northwestern coast where women can wear whatever they like instead of covering up their body.

This was made known by the Arab country's new heir to the throne on Wednesday as part of his drive to modernize the Saudi economy. 

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has unveiled plans for a luxury Red Sea resort on a stretch of coast line in the country’s northwest which will be a place where strict laws on women’s dress and gender segregation could be relaxed.

Knowing that foreign visitors are unlikely to come to beaches where women are forced to cover up in an abaya - a robe-like dress - the government said the resort which will stretch for 125 miles along the coastline will be “governed by laws on par with international standards”.

Tourists also won’t need a visa to travel to the “semi-autonomous” destination, where activities like parachuting, trekking and rock climbing will be on offer.  

It is hoped that the resort will transform the country into a tourism hotspot, much like Dubai has done, and dramatically increase the number of visitors to the Middle Eastern country.  

Currently, few British holidaymakers head to Saudi Arabia, choosing the more relaxed Dubai – where you are allowed to wear bikinis on the beach.