Saudi Arabia Courts Christian Tourists and Soft Power Despite Religious Tensions

Christians, including evangelicals, have become enthusiastic visitors to Saudi Arabia since the country opened its borders to leisure tourists in 2019.
Many Christian tourists are drawn to Saudi Arabia to search for evidence that the country, not Egypt, is the site of Mount Sinai, where God revealed the Ten Commandments.
Saudi Arabia is changing rapidly, with religious taboos shifting and tourism becoming a priority as the country diversifies its economy.
Saudi officials appear to see little conflict in courting conservative American Christians, offering a new source of soft power and a way to connect with Americans even when formal U.S.-Saudi ties are rocky.
Many Christian tourists are driven by an urge to uncover proof of the Bible's stories and to walk where they believe they happened, with scenes of the Exodus filling them with awe.