Stephen Hiltner/The New York TimesThe sculpted facade of a 2,000-year-old tomb glows in the late-afternoon sun at Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Camels march through the desert on the outskirts of the Empty Quarter, the world’s largest sand sea. For many years these Saudi Arabian scenes, including the lively open-air markets in Jeddah, were off limits to most travelers. As it undergoes a profound transformation, Saudi Arabia is spending lavishly to lure tourists with its luxe new resorts ...... its rich cultural heritage ...... and its sublime natural beauty. Can the Saudi government persuade would-be visitors to look past — or reconsider — its longstanding associations with religious extremism, ultraconservatism and human rights abuses?

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Persons: Stephen Hiltner Organizations: New York Times, UNESCO Locations: Prophet’s, Medina, Saudi, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia