First women-only car showroom opens in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Saudi women at the first automotive showroom solely dedicated for women in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
A Saudi private company has opened a first women only car showroom in Jeddah just months before a decision allowing females to drive takes effect in June 2018.
The showroom allows women the freedom to choose their own cars before they hit the road.
In a historic decision late last year, King Salman gave Saudi women the right to drive, abolishing an almost three-decade ban based on religious reasons.
The showroom offers a wide selection of vehicles from various car makers and is staffed by women only.
It also provides women with solutions to finance their purchase provided by leading banks and financial companies.
“I’ve always been interested in cars, but we didn’t have the ability to drive,” said Ghada al-Ali, a customer. “And now I’m very interested in buying a car but I would like the payments and prices to not be very high.”
Saudi Arabia’s cost of living has risen after the government hiked domestic gas prices and introduced value-added tax (VAT) in January. The exhibition focused on fuel-efficient cars and provided a team of saleswomen to help their new customer base.
