IX. BUSINESS TRAVEL Business Customs The official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic, but English is widely used in business and on signs and notices, making it easy for the non-Arabic speaker to live and work in the Kingdom. Modern Saudi Arabia has adopted many of the business methods and styles of the West, but some differences remain. Most important is that business will be only be conducted after a degree of trust and familiarity have been established. Considerable time may be spent exchanging courtesies, and several visits may be needed to secure business. Business visitors should arrange their itineraries to allow for long meetings, as traditional Saudis often maintain an "open office" in which they will sign papers, take telephone calls, and converse with friends or colleagues who drop by. Tea, soft drinks, and traditional Saudi coffee are usually offered. One to three cups of Saudi coffee should be taken for politeness, after which the cup should be wiggled between thumb and forefinger when returning it to the server to indicate that you have finished. Many Saudi businessmen have been educated or have travelled extensively in the West and are sophisticated in dealing with Americans. For the most part travellers can rely on the usual Western manners and standards of politeness to see them through, with a few additional rules that may be observed. One should eat with the right hand and avoid sitting at any time with the sole of the foot pointed at the host or other guest. It may be discourteous to ask after a man's wife or daughters; ask instead after his family and sons. Shoes are sometimes removed before entering a Saudi majlis (living room). If you are invited to the home of a Saudi for a party or reception, a meal is normally served at the end of the evening, and guests will not linger long after finishing. If you invite a Saudi to dine with you, expect to be refused at least once. Customs and manners differ, so be observant and adapt your behavior to that of your host. Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country that requires strict adherence to Islamic principles. Five times a day Muslims are obliged to pray in the direction of the holy city, Makkah. The prayer times are published in the newspaper and come at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening. Stores and restaurants close for approximately one-half hour at these times. When staging promotional events or product demonstrations, these prayer breaks should be scheduled. Dress is conservative for both men and women. Women in particular are advised to wear loose-fitting and concealing clothing with long skirts, elbow-length sleeves, and modest necklines. In more conservative parts of the country Western women may be required to wear the abaya, a long garment of black cloth. There is strict gender separation in the Kingdom and restaurants maintain separate sections for single men and families. Wives are often excluded from social gatherings or are entertained separately. Business hours vary in different parts of the country. Saudi companies usually close for two hours in the afternoon and remain open through the early evening. Retail stores close for the noon prayer and reopen around 4:00 P.M. The normal work week runs from Saturday through Wednesday with many companies also requiring a half or full day on Thursday. Friday is the Muslim holy day. Travel Advisories and Visas Travellers may not carry alcohol, firearms, pork products, religious items, or items deemed pornographic into the Kingdom. On occasion catalogs and videos deemed appropriate in the West are confiscated if they show men and women socializing together or in revealing dress. It is advisable to carry prescription drugs in their original labelled containers. Photography of sensitive installations such as airports, seaports, oil and petrochemical facilities, and military bases is prohibited, as is photography that constitutes an invasion of privacy. Theft or street crime is not a serious problem in Saudi Arabia, but normal precautions should be taken. Travel to Saudi Arabia is not allowed without a visa issued with the assistance of a Saudi sponsor. All visitor's visas are single entry and allow for a maximum 30-day stay. To obtain a visitor's visa for business purposes, each U.S. company representative must have a letter of invitation from the Saudi sponsor. This letter must be in Arabic, the U.S. applicant must have the original copy (no faxes allowed), the letter must be on the Saudi company letterhead, and must bear an authenticating stamp of the local Saudi Chamber of Commerce. The visa applicant must apply for and receive the visa prior to departing the United States at either the Saudi Embassy in Washington or at Saudi Consulates in Houston, Los Angeles, or New York City. The letter should name the visa applicant, passport number, company name and address, approximate dates of visit, and reason for visit (e.g. business meetings). The U.S. visa applicant may hold the letter for up to 60 days prior to making application. It is further recommended that the U.S. applicant's company use the company's letterhead when requesting the Saudi Embassy's/Consulates' cooperation in issuing the visa. Once the visa is stamped in the passport it must be used or officially cancelled before a subsequent visa will be issued. The visa may be extended at the discretion of the Saudi Embassy or consulate prior to the expiration date. Occasionally, the Saudi consular officer may require the applicant to obtain the visa through a more time-consuming process involving approval by the Saudi Foreign Ministry. These procedures are well-known in the Kingdom and will be handled by the Saudi sponsor. Women travelling alone, Americans of Arab origin, and private consultants are often required to use this process. Resident visas also are available through a separate process. If the U.S. applicant does not have a Saudi sponsor, the U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce may be able to assist (tel: 202-331-8010). U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service offices also can advise on how to make initial contacts with potential sponsors, but cannot arrange visas for unofficial business travellers. Holidays There are two Islamic religious holidays around which most businesses close for at least three working days. Eid al-Fitr occurs at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Eid al-Adha celebrates the time of year when pilgrims arrive from around the world to perform the Hajj. Their timing is governed by the Islamic lunar calendar and they fall approximately 11 days earlier in each successive year. In 1995, the Eid al-Fitr holiday will begin on or about March 1 and the Eid al-Adha holiday on or about May 9. Business travel to the Kingdom during the holy month of Ramadan is best avoided. During Ramadan devout Muslims abstain from food and drink during daylight hours. Office hours are shortened and shifted to the evening, and people may be affected by the fasting and customary late night social gatherings. During Ramadan business travellers should not drink, eat, or smoke in public during daylight or in the presence of fasting Muslims. Hotels offer special daytime food services for their non-Muslim guests. In 1995, Ramadan will correspond almost exactly with the month of February. The Saudi national day is celebrated September 22. Almost all businesses and government offices remain open, with the notable exception of Saudi Aramco. Business Infrastructure The business centers of Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam/Al Khobar/ Dhahran each have an international airport served by a variety of international airlines. Air travel is preferred for inter-Kingdom travel with public service restricted to the sole national airline, Saudia. The Kingdom has a good highway system and rental cars and taxis/limousines are available at all airports; driving is U.S.-style, on the right. One rail line carries passengers and freight between Dammam and Riyadh. Jeddah and Dammam are the main international seaports for moving containerized and bulk cargo. Modern communication facilities are available including telephone, fax, telex, and courier services. U.S. database log-on is available through a PTT Ministry trunk line service, Al-Waseet. Use of private satellite communication transponders is not allowed. Facsimile machines are heavily utilized in the conduct of business. There is currently no cellular phone system and radiophones are restricted. There is a shortage of telephone lines which makes it very difficult to obtain lines for a new business or residence. The government is embarking on a large-scale telecommunications upgrade program but the shortage is expected to worsen through 1995. Four and five star hotel accommodations are readily available in the major business centers, and most of the better restaurants are located in the hotels. The food reflects the diversity of the country's expatriate population and generally can be considered safe. Use of bottled water is preferred although most tap water is potable in the major cities. Supermarkets are well stocked with Western products. Housing for expatriate employees residing in the Kingdom is usually provided by the employer or through a housing allowance given to the employee. The major cities offer a wide variety of houses and apartments for rents considered high by U.S. metropolitan standards. Most Western expatriates live in housing compounds that provide additional services such as cable television, recreation facilities, child care, limousine services for women (who are not allowed to drive in the Kingdom), and security. The quality of health care is variable, ranging from excellent to poor depending on the region, hospital, and specialty. Most Western expatriates find it adequate for routine care and minor surgery. Only a few drugs available in the U.S. may not be available in Saudi Arabia. There is a good network of private American schools serving communities with a high concentration of U.S. expatriates, including all the major business and industrial centers. The schools offer only grades K-9 as Saudi government policy requires expatriate children to receive their high school and college education outside the Kingdom.