Saudi-born Basmah Al-Mayman has long loved to travel.
Not just because she loves to experience new places and cultures, but because she believes that travelling is a way to foster dialogue between nations and better understand people from different cultures. Al-Mayman, presently the Regional Director for the Middle East at UN Tourism (UNWTO), a role she has held since 2018, is the first ever GCC national to hold a leading position at the specialised agency. She is also the first woman to lead the region in the history of this international organisation.
The trailblazer’s key focus over the last few years has been on developing tourism in Saudi.
After over 20 years of experience in the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, Al-Mayman is now absorbed in developing and strengthening Saudi relations with international organisations. These include UN-affiliated agencies like the World Bank, UNESCO, and UNDP, as well as other similar institutions and stakeholders in the fields of tourism, heritage, museums, antiquities, and built heritage to grow awareness locally, regionally, and internationally about the Kingdom’s tourism potential.
A Mix of Business and Pleasure
Over the last few years, most of Al-Mayman’s travel has been dictated by work trips, which still allow her to discover beautiful and fascinating places. “I have very beautiful memories of places my family and I travelled to in Europe and the US, and I appreciate every opportunity that allows me to visit a new spot,” she says. “When I joined the Saudi Commission for Tourism, now the Ministry of Tourism, when it first started, I was also able to visit many places in the Kingdom that I never thought I would ever be able to go to.”
For Al-Mayman, authentic places are paramount. “I still appreciate places where you find authenticity. Where the identity of a country, a city, and its people are still present, and where one would gain new experience and knowledge.”
Having travelled around the world, designating a favourite place is challenging. “My work allows me, or actually opens a lot of borders and doors, for me to visit a new continent, a new city, and a new village,” she says. “I've seen some places in movies, thinking I would only continue knowing about them or seeing them in movies or books, and it never crossed my mind that I would go there one day. I ended up visiting these places, or rather these countries, once and twice, going to different cities. I think each place has its own flavour, its own experience.”
A Tour of Special Places
On 26 May 2021, the Spain-headquartered UNWTO opened its first regional office in Riyadh.
The move signalled a desire and mission to grow tourism in the MENA region, especially in Saudi. Since that date and before, Al-Mayman has had the opportunity to travel to destinations she always dreamt of visiting. She particularly cites St Petersburg, Pakistan, and numerous cities in Spain, as well as London, where she loves visiting the many cultural institutes and museums.
“St Petersburg is such a beautiful place with its own element of splendour,” the tourism powerhouse says. “It has its own unique reason to visit. I've also been to Pakistan more than once, and each time I had a new experience because of the cities I’ve travelled to and the people I met while I was there. My office in Spain has provided me the opportunity to travel to numerous cities throughout the country. Spain is an exceptional experience starting from Madrid, the capital, to Santiago de Compostela, Málaga, Córdoba, and Marbella, you name it – there are so many wonderful cities I never tire of visiting.”
While talking about London, Al-Mayman muses: “The city is beautiful. Whether you're going to relax or to meet your friends or even to visit museums, the city provides so many options. There is something very special about London museums. Every time I visit the capital, I go to the same museums and new ones, and each offers me a new experience. I never get tired of visiting them and there is always something exceptional to learn. I don't know if it's the beauty of London or it's the priority they give to the museums and the way the content is portrayed in these places that makes them so mesmerising – but I love it!”
Where The Heart Beats
Of the numerous places Al-Mayman loves in the Kingdom, Asir, in the south-west of the country, is top of her list. “I have been visiting Asir since around 2010 and it is a paradise on Earth,” she exclaims. “It's the most beautiful place you can ever visit. It's a jewel for Saudi tourism. Whether you're talking about Abha, Rijal Almaa, any of the other cities in the region, or the gastronomy, people’s hospitality, private museums, and houses transformed to museums – everything is so authentic and so special.”
Asir, says Al-Mayman, also exemplifies sustainable tourism in the Kingdom that can be had year-round. “The greenery is beautiful,” she explains.“The scenery is exceptional. The region offers a one-of-a-kind experience for anyone visiting Saudi. Whether you're a Saudi living in Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah, or wherever, I see Asir as the first place you should visit. You must go there not just once, but many times, throughout your life.”
