Saudi Arabia has been liberalising domestically, upending years of social and religious convention. Only a few years ago, the kingdom was threatened with “pariah” status by Joe Biden after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, while its bombing campaign in Yemen drew calls for arms boycotts. Since then, Mohammed bin Salman has turned the country into a place of outdoor raves, fashion shows and high-profile sporting events. The country that once derived its status from Sunni religious primacy – as the seat of the holiest site in Islam, Mecca – is trying to catch up with Qatar and the UAE, which have invested heavily in turning their countries into influential hubs of finance, consumption and entertainment.