So the article has a link to the “visit saudi” page with the line up. Some additional disappointments are hannibal burress, Omid Djalili (… not sure how dissapointed I should be of him, since I consider him a fellow ethnic minorty Brit, but he could be "the people in Riadh could do with a laugh, just like when I was in Tehran) , but the jewel is the “about saudi” section which shows you what a fun holiday destination Saudi Arabia is :
Alcohol and Substances
Alcohol and narcotics are strictly prohibited by law, and violations can carry serious penalties.
General Conduct: Courtesy and modesty are highly valued.
Because nothing says “fun holiday” like “you better wear that burkha, and not drink anything, or your ass is going to jail for a very long time”.
You want soft power? Stop being an oppressive, economic hole, and be a place actually worth visiting. The reason Japan and Korea can get away with their horrid conservativism is that they allow artistic expression, and can maintain an economy and social presentability in a way that people aren’t fleeing the country/region in droves and foreigners want to experience their culture firsthand because it seems safe, novel and luxurious. Flavours of Ice cream and chocolate aren’t going to cut it.
The most notable recent cultural export from Saudi Arabia is Masameer county, and that’s not the kind of place anyone wants to visit… although I really had fun watching it. Doesn’t mean I want to go to Riyadh to live like those idiots, the same way I don’t want to go visit Nova Scotia after watching Trailer Park Boys.
Broadfern@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
Sounds like 2025 in the US. Makes sense where they got the blueprint from.