The Saudi Travel Agency Spotlighting the Kingdom’s Heritage
We spoke to French Co-Founder Cécilia Pueyo to hear what inspired the culture-focussed company.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that to attempt to understand Saudi Arabia is to confront a myriad of misconceptions, stereotypes, and time-worn untruths. This confrontation still persists across almost every aspect of the Kingdom, and its tourism landscape is no different. Much has been said about the country’s recent tourism drive, as its economy is diversified away from exclusively fossil fuels, but the vast majority of said development has only been covered from the angle of swish, swanky hotels belonging to internationally renowned hoteliers. All well and good, certainly – nobody takes issue with good infrastructure at the basis of any mega-project.
However…
There is a different angle to tourism in Saudi Arabia, for both locals and foreign tourists, which tells a more inherently Saudi story away from soaring towers and samey buffets. Instead, it is a story of authentic Saudi experiences, brought to guests by a company that has seasoned experience doing the very same in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. That company is Bonjour Saudi.
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Photo: Bonjour Saudi's 'Ramadan Night' Experience
“My hope has always been that people really understand what Saudi is now, in 2024, and where it has been, and where it is going,” Cécilia Pueyo, Co-Founder of Bonjour Saudi, tells SceneTraveller. “What’s special about Bonjour Saudi is that all of our trips are organised through Saudis, so guests have much more authentic experiences, meet local people, and enjoy culturally enriching trips.”
Photo: Bonjour Saudi's 'Dinner in a Mud House' Experience
With a base in the historical area of Diriyah on the outskirts of Riyadh – which is fast becoming a hub of culture and arts – Bonjour Saudi introduces visitors from near and far to the Kingdom’s heritage, through workshops and activities organised with the local community. These handicrafts, most often produced by women at the company’s ‘House of Artisans’, continue to be an underappreciated aspect of Saudi Arabia’s cultural character, which is why introducing visitors to this rich heritage is key to Cécilia's vision.
“Bonjour Saudi is becoming a space for people to meet each other, regardless of age or nationality, to come together and appreciate the unsung heroes of the country’s heritage,” Cécilia explains. In that sense, the company’s practices are an echo of the people behind the operation.
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Photo: Asiri Painting Workshop at Bonjour Saudi's Base in Diriyah
“Bonjour Saudi is a three-person job; two of us are French, and one is Saudi,” Cécilia points out. “The integration of foreign and local entities is integral to what we do, and it’s reflected in our clientele, too.” Having spent time in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Cécilia was all too aware of the separation that exists between expats and locals, particularly in the Gulf. As such, Bonjour Saudi is now positioned to change the narrative, bringing people together, regardless of their background. And outside of their Riyadh hub, the company operates country-wide tours customised to each visitor’s preferences.
That being said, the fact that Bonjour Saudi was founded by non-Saudis seems to come as a surprise to many, particularly in a nation that is so proud of its culture and country. “My Saudi partner says that the reason he partnered with me on Bonjour Saudi was because I have a different perspective on Saudi culture,” Cécilia says. “For example, as a French person, Paris and croissants are normal, but to Saudis they’re the subject of curiosity and fascination. The same thing goes for me and my relationship with the ‘normal’ aspects of Saudi Arabia, which are anything but normal to me.”
Photo: Cécilia Pueyo Cooking With Local Woman
In terms of what surprises international visitors who choose Bonjour Saudi’s trips, Cécilia reveals the very humble truth: “For tourists, the most surprising thing is the people they get to interact with,” she says. “Guests meet people going about their daily lives at their house or farm, cooking and eating with them, and hopefully getting an understanding of what Saudi Arabia and its people are really like.” That hope comes from having experienced Saudi hospitality firsthand and seeing the real value in facilitating connection between travellers and the Saudi Arabia Cécilia has come to love.
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